The British Food History Podcast

Today I talk about Irish food, food history and identity with Michelin-starred chef Jp McMahon. Jp is the culinary director of the EatGalway Restaurant Group and runs the restaurant Aniar in Galway, Ireland. He’s the founding chair and director of the Galway Food Festival, Jp is an ambassador for Irish food. He has written several books including the excellent Irish Cook Book published by Phaidon. However, the subject of our discussion was his new book, An Irish Food Story: 100 Foods That Made Us, published by Nine Bean Rows, which delved into Irish food identity, traditions and history. We talked about food in Ireland versus Irish food, oysters and stout, the deliciousness of seaweed, Irish stew and dulse-flavoured croissants – plus many other things.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.Find Jp on Instagram: @mistereatgalwayAnair websiteAn Irish Food Story: 100 Foods That Made UsThe Irish Cook Book An Alphabet of AnairThings mentioned in today’s episodeThe Great Cream Tea Debate on YouTubeBBC Countryfile magazine websiteNeil’s blog post and recipe for Bakewell puddingUpcoming events:Find out about upcoming events on the website here.Neil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead 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 [email protected], or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.You can

It’s December, Advent has begun, and we can officially start discussing Christmas so I have put together an episode about turkey that is very much of two halves. There’s an interview with Tom Copas, a turkey farmer who really looks after his flock: slow-grown, high welfare, and I have bought many a turkey from him over the years. Before that, I have prepared a little bit on the history of the turkey in Britain, spanning from Tudor times to the 20th century where it went from regal food to Christmas Day staple. Tom and I talked about farming family history, the intricacies of turkey farming, when the term ‘free-range’ is misleading, cooking tips and turkey crackling: amongst many other things.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.Order your Christmas turkey from the Copas Farm shopFind Copas Turkeys on social media: Twitter/X @CopasTurkeys; Insta: @copasfarmshop or @tomcopasPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:Christmas Feasting with Annie GrayTudor Cooking & Cuisine with Brigitte WebsterTurkey history references:At Christmas We Feast: Festive Food Through the Ages (2021) Annie GrayEating with the Tudors: Food and Recipes (2023) Brigitte WebsterThe Good Housewife’s Jewel (1596) Thomas DawsonThe Compleat Cook (1662) W. M.E. Kidder's Receipts of Pastry and Cookery (1741) Edward KidderA Christmas Carol (1843) Charles DickensUpcoming events:Find out about upcoming events on the website here.Neil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead 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 [email protected], 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

Today I am in conversation with Jill Norman – author of several books, and editor at Penguin. She very kindly talked to me about Jane Grigson and the book English Food at the start of this season. Well, Jill is on the podcast today to talk about her new book The English Table.We talk about service a la française and a la russe, important food writers throughout history like Hannah Woolley and Claudia Roden, the origins of fish and chips, and the time she met Dorothy Hartley, amongst many other thingsIf 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.Jill’s websiteThe English Table by Jill NormanPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:50 Years of 'English Food' by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Annie Gray, Ivan Day & Jill NormanThings mentioned in today’s episode:The Queen-Like Closet by Hannah WoolleyA New System of Domestic Cookery by Mrs RundellA Book of Middle Eastern Food by Claudia RodenLost Country Life by Dorothy HartleyUpcoming events:Find out about upcoming events on the website here.The Foyle’s Christmas Evening 28 NovemberNeil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential HousekeeperA Dark History of Sugar Knead 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 [email protected], or on twitter and BlueSky @neilbuttery, or Instagram and Threads dr_neil_buttery. My DMs are open.You

The tables have turned today because I am being interviewed by author, food historian and friend of the show Sam Bilton. My book Knead to Know is out now and published by Icon Books, and Sam very kindly agreed to interview me about it for the podcast. We talk about baking evolution, bakestone cookery, Jaffa Cakes and taxation, what’s so great about wheat plus many other things.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.Sam Bilton’s websiteSocial media: mrssbiltonSam's blog Comfortably HungryNeil’s book Knead to Know is out now and published by Icon Books. The Philosophy of Puddings is also out now, published by The British LibraryBlog posts pertinent to today’s episode:Manchets and PayndemaynMy Best Yorkshire Pudding RecipeClotted CreamPodcast episodes pertinent to today’s episode:Cake Baxters in Early Modern Scotland with Aaron AllenYorkshire Pudding with Elaine Lemm50 Years of 'English Food' by Jane Grigson with Sam Bilton, Annie Gray, Ivan Day & Jill NormanThe Philosophy of Chocolate with Sam BiltonTripe Special: Sam Bilton & Neil Buttery Talk TripeBritish Saffron with Sam BiltonGingerbread with Sam BiltonThings mentioned in today’s episode:Hodmedod’s websiteDoves Farm websiteThe Art of Cookery by Hannah GlasseThe Whole Duty of a WomanUpcoming events:Find out about upcoming events on the website here.The Foyle’s Christmas Evening 28 NovemberNeil’s blogs:‘British Food: a History’ ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ Neil’s books:Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper