The British Food History Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis
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The British Food History Podcast
Neil Buttery
Frequency: 1 episode/18d. Total Eps: 97

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See allScore global : 62%
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Healthy Eating in the Middle Ages with Katherine Harvey
Season 10 · Episode 1
jeudi 2 avril 2026 • Duration 38:22
Welcome to a brand new season of The British Food History Podcast!
On the podcast today is medieval scholar Katherine Harvey, a scholar specialising in medieval and early modern history.
Kathryn’s new book The Medieval Guide to Healthy Living is out now, published by Reaktion Books.
We talk about humoral theory and health, the dangers of eating fresh fruit and fish, the importance of sauces, drinking and drunkenness, how obesity was viewed by medieval society and the importance of cleanliness amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast get bonus material where we talk about the importance of mealtimes when thinking about health, and the poorer members of society who don’t necessarily have much of a choice when it comes to healthy eating.
The Medieval Guide to Healthy Living by Katherine Harvey
The Fires of Lust: Sex in the Middle Ages by Katherine Harvey
Follow Katherine on social media: Instagram @katherinee.harvey; X @keharvey2013; Bluesky @katherineharvey.bsky.social
Season 10 of the podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, who make high-quality kitchen and outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit www.netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The filthy peasants in Monty Python and the Holy Grail
My recent toad-in-the-hole recipe
A is for Apple Season C, Episode 1
My recent appearance on BBC Breakfast
Previous pertinent blog posts
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Subversive Feasting in Medieval King & Commoner Tales with Mark Truesdale
Medieval Meals & Manners with Danièle Cybulskie
Eel special: 2. Silver Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee
Forme of Cury with Christopher Monk
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
A is for Apple Season C has begun!
Join Neil Buttery, Sam Bilton and Alessandra Pino for their journey through the letter C on 'A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink'. Available wherever you get your podcasts.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Ireland, Ale & the Colonising British with Christina Wade
Season 9 · Episode 7
mercredi 17 septembre 2025 • Duration 43:05
In this episode, I speak with Christina Wade, a beer historian specialising in the UK and Ireland, with a particular focus on women. She has written an excellent book, Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland, which was published by Nine Bean Rows earlier this year (2025).
We talk about ale and beer in Ireland, and how colonisation by the English, and then the British, affected beer production and consumption. Topics include: ale in early medieval Ireland, the man who inspired the title of her book, ale consumption during the Irish Rebellion and the Potato Famine, and the use of human skulls in medicinal ales, amongst many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about the links between alewives and witchcraft, whiskey and beer consumption, tea kettle brews and more!
Christina’s social media handle on Instagram and Bluesky is @braciatrix
Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland
The Devil’s in the Draught Lines: 1000 Years of Women in Britain’s Beer History
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth website - You can still receive 25% off the ticket price using the code SERVE25 at the checkout!
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Neil’s blog post about cock ale/beer
Barnaby Rich’s book The Irish hubbub or, the English hue and crie. 1617
Neil’s blog post about junket for £3 subscribers
Listen to Neil on Around the Table
Previous pertinent podcast episodes
Making Medieval Ale at Home with Alison Kay
Recreating 16th Century Beer with Susan Flavin and Marc Meltonville
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
BONUS EPISODE: Serve it Forth Food History Festival Special
Season 9 · Episode 6
samedi 6 septembre 2025 • Duration 01:03:01
Hello there everyone!
Here’s a quick special bonus episode for you – the lowdown on the Serve it Forth Food History Festival 2025 sponsored by the excellent Netherton Foundry.
My fellow festival coordinators Sam Bilton, Thomas Ntinas and Alessandra Pino and I are here to tell you more about it: how the day will work, what the sessions will be like, the topics and the guests – including my guest Tom Parker Bowles.
We have a brief discussion about our own interests and how we all got into food history. We also talk about our biggest/most embarrassing disasters.
Most important headlines are: it’s online on 18 October. It’s £16, but there’s 25% off ticket price until September 14th. Don’t worry if you miss some, or even all of the day, we will be making every recording available to all ticket holders.
NB: If you want to get 25% off the ticket price after the early bird has finished, use the offer code SERVE25 at the Eventbrite checkout
The Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Derbyshire Oatcakes with Mark Dawson
Season 9 · Episode 6
dimanche 31 août 2025 • Duration 42:44
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 about the oatcakes of Britain, doshens and sprittles, the usefulness of probate inventories, oatcakes as penance, and oatcake goblins – amongst many other things
Those listening to the secret podcast can hear about other Derbyshire foods made from oats; a discussion about why oatcake is better than porridge; and I grill Mark on one very important matter: just what is the difference between a Derbyshire and a Staffordshire oatcake.
Follow Mark on Instagram @drdobba
Mark’s book Lumpy Tums: Derbyshire’s Food & Drink will be published by Amberley in April 2026
Mark’s previous book Plenti and Grase (2009) is published by Prospect Books
Mark Dawson’s Food History Pages
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Find out more about Joan Thirsk
General View of the Agriculture and Minerals of Derbyshire by John Farey (1811)
Some of Mark’s research on oatcakes can be found in Farmers, Consumers, Innovators: The World of Joan Thirsk (2016)
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
A Rare Early Modern Cheese Manuscript with Alex Bamji
Season 9 · Episode 5
mercredi 20 août 2025 • Duration 41:58
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 Library which is home to a fantastic collection of cookery books and manuscripts. We talk about cheese, health and humoral theory; what makes a good cheese; the early modern cheese landscape; cheese as a cure for gout; and cheese haters – plus many other things.
Those listening to the secret podcast: Alex and I talk about why cow’s milk is the best milk, and I wonder whether there any clues as to where their microbes are coming from.
Follow Alex on Twitter, Bluesky and Instagram @alexbamji
Alex’s page on the University of Leeds website
A piece from Leeds University about the ‘pamflyt’ featuring Peter Brears
The Brotherton Library’s cookery collection
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
The Serve it Forth Food History Festival website is now live and tickets are available on Eventbrite.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Listen to a sample of the Knead to Know audiobook
My recipe for an Early Modern white pudding
Pertinent previous podcast episode:
Cheddar & the Cheese Industry with Peter J. Atkins
Tudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte Webster
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Bread & Bakers with David Wright
Season 9 · Episode 4
dimanche 10 août 2025 • Duration 46:10
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, milling grain into flour, the anatomy of a grain, roller mills, the Chorleywood process and why gluten can be compared to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Danny DeVito.
Those listening to the secret podcast: you get a little over 15 minutes of bonus material that includes additives that don’t have be named on ingredients lists, flatbreads, the National Loaf, the value of bread and more!
Follow David on Instagram @thebreaducator
Breaking Bread: How Baking Shaped Our World is published by Aurum
More on the Pump Street workshops
More about David’s Earth’s Crust Bakery at Camp Bestival
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
The Serve it Forth Food History Festival website is now live and tickets are available on Eventbrite.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Serve it Forth Eventbrite page
Against the Grain by James C. Scott (2018)
Knead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery (2023)
My blog post and recipe for a cob
My blog post and recipe for a cottage loaf
Pertinent previous podcast episode:
A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Bronze Age Food & Foodways with Chris Wakefield & Rachel Ballantyne
Season 9 · Episode 3
mercredi 30 juillet 2025 • Duration 42:10
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 an absolutely amazing site close to Peterborough that tell us a huge amount about daily life in a late Bronze Age settlement. Prepare to have your minds blown!
We talk about the unique circumstances of how and why the site is so well preserved, kitchen clutter, animal husbandry, querns, frumenty, pike sushi, and whether the English’s love of mustard goes back 3 millennia – among many other things
Those listening to the secret podcast: you get 20 minutes of bonus material that includes the importance of foraging, the evidence for fermentation, Bronze Age recipes, the uses of the whole cereal plant and more!
To view images of the site and the finds, go to the accompanying post on Neil’s blog.
Follow Cambridge Archaeological Unit on Social Media
Facebook: @cambridgearchaeologicalunit
BlueSky: @cambridgearch.bsky.social
Instagram: @cambridgearchaeologicalunit
Follow Cambridge University Department of Archaeology on Social Media:
Facebook: @archaeologycambridge
BlueSky: @cam-archaeology.bsky.social
Instagram: @ cambridge_archaeology
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
The Peterborough Archaeology page about the Must Farm site
Neil’s medieval frumenty recipe
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
A Regional Food Tour with Jenny Linford
Season 9 · Episode 2
dimanche 20 juillet 2025 • Duration 44:35
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 National Trust. It’s beautifully illustrated and contains recipes too. Also discussed: our mutual appreciation of Jane Grigson, Welsh cakes, English fish dishes, marmalade, champ and Tunnock’s teacakes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games – amongst many other things.
The Great British Food Tour by Jenny Linford
Jenny’s website (include information about all three of her recent books)
Follow Jenny on Social Media: X and BlueSky @jennylinford; Insta/Threads @jlinford
Jenny’s podcast, A Slice of Cheese
Remember: Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Bradford Little Foodies Walking Tour on Sat 26 July 2025
Henry’s Mayhew’s London Labour and the London Poor (1851)
London’s Eel, Pies & Mash Shops
Tunnock’s Teacakes at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
Silver Eels with John Wyatt Greenlee
Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:
The British Food History Channel
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Black & White Pudding with Matthew Cockin & Grant Harper
Season 9 · Episode 1
mercredi 9 juillet 2025 • Duration 41:54
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 puddings in the UK.
We talk about how and why they started up Fruit Pig, battling squeamishness, why it’s so difficult to make fresh blood black puddings, and serving suggestions – amongst many other things
Fruit Pig are sponsoring the 9th season of the podcast and Grant and Matthew are very kindly giving listeners to the podcast a unique special offer 10% off your order until the end of October 2025 – use the offer code Foodhis in the checkout at their online shop, www.fruitpig.co.uk.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, including bonus blog posts and recipes, access to the easter eggs and the secret podcast, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
This episode was mixed and engineered by Thomas Ntinas of the Delicious Legacy podcast.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Fruit Pig on Jamie & Jimmy’s Friday Night Feast
Fruit Pig on BBC Radio 4’s The Food Programme
Neil’s appearance on Comfortably Hungry discussing black/blood pudding
Museum of Royal Worcester project wins a British Library Food Season Award
Catch up on the latest posts and recipes on Neil’s blog
Follow Serve it Forth on Instagram at @serveitforthfest
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
18th Century Female Cookery Writers with The Delicious Legacy
Neil’s blogs:
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open. You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis:
Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
Special Postbag Edition #5
Season 8 · Episode 13
dimanche 23 février 2025 • Duration 48:03
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 and Yorkshire puddings – plus much, much more!
Thank you for your support in this eighth season of the podcast. It shall return later in the year.
If you can, support the podcast and blogs by becoming a £3 monthly subscriber, and unlock lots of premium content, or treat me to a one-off virtual pint or coffee: click here.
Things mentioned in today’s episode
Burnt cobs – BBC Leicester article
Tomato-Flavoured Snaps are not dead!
A Baghdad Cookery Book by Charles Perry
Kirkcudbright Book Week tickets
The 39th Leeds Symposium of Food Drinks & Traditions on Eventbrite
Neil’s appearance on That Shakespeare Life
Neil’s appearance on History Rage
The Accomplisht Cook by Robert May (1660)
Plenti and Grase by Mark Dawson
Neil’s Country Life County Foods series
A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink
Comfortably Hungry: Bleeding Cows & Black Puddings
Podcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode
A History of Baking with Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery
Making Medieval Ale at Home with Alison Kay
Turkey with Tom Copas
An Irish Food Story with Jp McMahon
The Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay Middleton
Crisps with Natalie Whittle
The School Meals Service with Heather Ellis
The History of Food Waste & Preservation with Eleanor Barnett
Traditional Food of Lincolnshire with Rachel Green
18th Century Female Cookery Writers with the Delicious Legacy Podcast
Yorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm
Lent episode 1: Preparing for Lent
Blog posts pertinent to today’s episode
My Best Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
Neil’s blogs:
Neil’s books:
Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper
Knead to Know: a History of Baking
Don’t forget, there will be postbag episodes in the future, so 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 on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.
You can also join the British Food: a History Facebook discussion page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/britishfoodhistory
Mentioned in this episode:
The British Food History podcast is currently sponored by Netherton Foundry
Season 10 of The British Food History Podcast is sponsored by Netherton Foundry, producers of top-quality, British-made cookery equipment. Nestled in rural South Shropshire, Netherton Foundry is a family-run business, headed by husband and wife team Neil and Sue Currie, which takes inspiration from the local iron masters of the 18th and 19th centuries to craft traditional cookware from iron, oak and copper using non-toxic materials. Their cookware is built to last, whether it be their famous prospector pans (of which I am a proud owner), crumpet rings or their impressive range of outdoor cookware. Netherton Foundry ships to several countries outside of the UK, including the USA and Canada. Visit netherton-foundry.co.uk to find out more about their wonderful products – approved not just by me but by folk such as Tom Parker-Bowles, Diana Henry and Nigella Lawson.
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