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The British Food History Podcast

The British Food History Podcast

By: Neil Buttery
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 Welcome to 'The British Food History Podcast': British food in all its (sometimes gory) glory with Dr. Neil Buttery. He'll be looking in depth at all aspects of food with interviews with special guests, recipes, re-enactments, foraging, trying his hand at traditional techniques, and tracking down forgotten recipes and hyper-regional specialities. He'll also be trying to answer the big question: What makes British food, so...British? This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrpCopyright 2026 Neil Buttery Art Cooking Food & Wine Social Sciences World
Episodes
  • Healthy Eating in the Middle Ages with Katherine Harvey

    Healthy Eating in the Middle Ages with Katherine Harvey
    Apr 2 2026
    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 HarveyThe Fires of Lust: Sex in the Middle Ages by Katherine HarveyKatherine’s websiteFollow Katherine on social media: Instagram @katherinee.harvey; X @keharvey2013; Bluesky @katherineharvey.bsky.socialSeason 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 episodeYork Festival of IdeasGerald of WalesThe filthy peasants in Monty Python and the Holy GrailMy recent toad-in-the-hole recipeMy cabinet pudding recipeA is for Apple Season C, Episode 1My recent appearance on BBC BreakfastPrevious pertinent blog postsMediæval DiningMedieval Blanc MangeTo Make Frumenty/Furmenty Previous pertinent podcast episodesSubversive Feasting in Medieval King & Commoner Tales with Mark TruesdaleMedieval Meals & Manners with Danièle CybulskieEel special: 2. Silver Eels with John Wyatt GreenleeForme of Cury with Christopher Monk Neil’s blogs and YouTube channel:‘British Food: a History’The British Food History Channel‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of SugarKnead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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/britishfoodhistoryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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    37 mins
  • Robert Burns, The Globe Inn & the Annandale Distillery with Jane Brown, Teresa Church & David Thomson

    Robert Burns, The Globe Inn & the Annandale Distillery with Jane Brown, Teresa Church & David Thomson
    Jan 24 2026
    Welcome to the second of a two-part special all about Burns Night.Burns Night, celebrated on Robert Burns’ birthday, 25th January, is a worldwide phenomenon and I wanted to make a couple of episodes focussing upon the night, the haggis, but also the other foods links regarding Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.So, if you’re readying yourself for a Burns supper, I hope this episode gets you even more into the celebratory spirit. If you’re not marking Burns Night – well, hopefully after listening to this, you will be inspired to get yourself some haggis, neeps, tatties and a dram of whisky. Hopefully, a Man O'Words single malt from the excellent Annandale Distillery – why, well, you will find out very soon.Today’s episode is a jam-packed one where I speak with three guests all about Robert Burns and his links with Dumfriesshire, Southwest Scotland. First of all I speak with Jane Brown, Honorary President of the Robert Burns World Federation, and ex-manager of The Globe, Robert Burns’s favourite haunt when he lived in Dumfries during the last eight years of his life. Jane has attended and spoken at many Burns Nights all over the world, so there's no one better to talk about with Burns’s life which had several links with food and drink: there’s Burns Night and the Address to a Haggis, his time as an exciseman and as a farmer, and his time at the Globe. Then there’s the Globe itself and all of the precious artefacts contained within it that have been painstakingly conserved by owners Teresa Church and David Thomson.David and Teresa also own the Annandale Distillery, which produces a delicious and unique single malt whisky. It’s available unpeated and called Man O’Words, after Robert Burns, and the other is peated and called Man O’Sword, after the other local historical figure associated with Dumfries, Robert the Bruce. Like the Globe, the old distillery was saved, beautifully conserved and brought back to life by David and Teresa.In today’s episode we talk about Burns’s before and after graces, Burns’s penchant for scratching poetry on windows, the importance of cask size on the flavour of whisky, and just what exactly possessed David and Teresa to buy the Globe and a falling-down distillery – amongst many other things.The Globe Inn websiteAnnandale Distillery websiteThe Robert Burns World FederationFollow 1610 at the Globe on social media: Instagram @theglobeinn1610; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/theglobeinn/?locale=en_GB; X @The GlobeInn1610Follow Annandale Distillery on social media: Instagram: @annandale_distillery; Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annandaledistillery/?locale=en_GB; X: @AnnandaleDstlryIf 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 episodeArticle: Local whisky maker hailed for its 'world class' and 'immaculate' malt at top awards. From in-CumbriaAnnandale Distillery on Visit Scotland websiteMMR website (David and Teresa’s day job!)The Burns House MuseumDavid’s article about the importance of cask size when maturing whiskyMy ‘Taste of Britain’ series in Countrylife MagazineRobert the BruceMy upcoming online talk with Paul Crane as part of the Museum of Royal Worcester’s Winter Talk series on 4 March at 6pm Previous pertinent blog postsChicken BalmoralPrevious pertinent podcast episodesHaggis and the First Burns Suppers with Jennie HoodNeil’s blogs and YouTube channel:‘British Food: a History’The British Food History Channel‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of SugarKnead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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/britishfoodhistoryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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    49 mins
  • Haggis & the First Burns Suppers with Jennie Hood

    Haggis & the First Burns Suppers with Jennie Hood
    Jan 16 2026
    Welcome to the first of a two-part special all about Burns Night.Burns Night, celebrated on Robert Burns’ birthday, 25th January, is a worldwide phenomenon and I wanted to make a couple of episodes focussing upon the night, the haggis, but also the other foods links regarding Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns.Burns was born in Alloway, Ayrshire on 25 January 1759 and he died in Dumfries on 21 July 1796 at just 37 years old.My guest today is food historian Jennie Hood, who has written an excellent article for the most recent edition of food history journal Petit Propos Culinares, entitled ‘A History of Haggis and the Burns Night Tradition’, so she is the perfect person to speak with on this topic.Jennie Hood hails from Ayrshire, just like Robert Burns, and we talk about the origin of Burns Night, but we also talk about the medieval origins of the most important food item on the Burns supper plate – the haggis.Things covered include the first English recipes for haggis, what makes a haggis a haggis (not as easy a thing as you might expect), Burns’s poem Address to a Haggis and what it tells us about haggises in Burns’s day and how the first Burns suppers started and gained such popularity, amongst many other things.Follow Jennie on social media: Threads/Instagram @medievalfoodwithjennie; Bluesky @medievalfoodjennie.bsky.social; Facebook https://www.facebook.com/medievalfoodwithjennieCompany of St Margaret, Jennie’s late medieval and renaissance re-enactment groupIssue 133 of Petits Propos CulinairesIf 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 episodeHarlean MS 279Liber Cure CocorumThe Good Housewife’s Jewel by Thomas DawsonThe Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (‘Haggas’ recipe p.291)The Robert Burns World FederationAddress to a Haggis by Robert BurnsSuzanne MacIver’s recipe for haggisIvan Day’s recipe for hack puddingThe Philosophy of Puddings by Neil ButteryBBC Countryfile January 2026 editionRoyal Births, Marriages & Deaths website (Channel 5)Previous pertinent blog postsLamb’s Head with Brain Sauce (from Neil Cooks Grigson)My review of the year postNesselrode PuddingTurkey & Hazelnut SoupLambswoolPrevious pertinent podcast episodesThe Philosophy of Puddings with Neil Buttery, Peter Gilchrist & Lindsay MiddletonNeil’s blogs and YouTube channel:‘British Food: a History’The British Food History Channel‘Neil Cooks Grigson’Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of SugarKnead to Know: a History of BakingThe Philosophy of PuddingsDon’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/britishfoodhistoryThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp
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    41 mins
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