The British Food History Podcast Neil Buttery

Today Neil chats with Alessandra Pino, co-author of ‘A Gothic Cookbook’, about food in gothic literature. They talk about the inspiration behind the book, the function of food (or the lack of it) in gothic fiction and how crowdfunding platform Unbound has helped with the project. They look at Frankenstein’s monster and his vegetarianism and delve a bit deeper into Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.



Subscribers: don’t forget to check out the Easter Egg tab on the website to listen to a couple of extras from this episode: http://britishfoodhistory.com/easter-eggs/



Visit Alessandra and Ella’s page on Unbound here to see page samples and Lee Henry’s wonderful illustrations: https://unbound.com/books/a-gothic-cookbook/



To receive 10% off your pledge use the code GOTHICPOD10



Follow A Gothic Cookbook on Twitter and Insta @AGothicCookbook



Links to things mentioned in this episode:



Wikipedia entry for Jane Eyre: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eyre



Neil’s Hot Toddy blog post: http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/12/24/a-hot-toddy/



Neil’s Christmas Pye posts: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/18/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-1/



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.

In the podcast’s first Christmas Special Neil delves into the history, origins and folklore surrounding the good old Christmas Pudding: the cornerstone of the Christmas Day dinner. He cooks up a proper cannonball shaped Victorian pudding that was written by Sam Bilton’s Great Aunt Eliza (Sam is a friend of the show). Neil also looks at Stir Up Sunday, superstitions and how to flambé a pudding properly.



Links to things mentioned in this episode:

Neil’s Christmas Pudding post part 1: http://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/11/21/christmas-pudding-part-1-stir-up-sunday/

Neil’s Christmas Pudding post part 2: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2021/12/19/to-make-a-christmas-pudding-part-2-the-big-day/

Sam Bilton’s post about her Great Aunt’s pudding: http://www.sambilton.com/plum-pudding/

Neil’s Christmas Pottage post: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2021/12/18/445-to-make-a-yorkshire-christmas-pye-part-1/

See Neil make the pottage on the Channel 5 show Amazing Christmas Cakes & Bakes here (UK only): https://www.channel5.com/show/amazing-christmas-cakes-and-bakes

Neil’s first post about the Yorkshire Christmas Pye: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2020/12/17/christmas-pottage/

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.

In the first episode of the third season Neil chats to food historian, Emma Kay about her new book ‘A Dark History of Chocolate’. They talk about several aspects of chocolate’s chequered past including: the way chocolate was exported from South America to Europe, Britain’s chocolate houses, chocolate & decadence, and the exploitation of workers and consumers, and chocolate as an excellent vehicle for poison.

Emma’s book on Pen & Sword History’s website: https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk/A-Dark-History-of-Chocolate-Hardback/p/19247

Emma’s twitter handle: @museumofkitchen; Emma’s Instagram: @museumofkitchenalia

Neil’s new book ‘A Dark History of Sugar’ is out on 30 March 2022 and is available to preorder.

See Neil on the Channel 5 show Amazing Christmas Cakes & Bakes here (UK only): https://www.channel5.com/show/amazing-christmas-cakes-and-bakes

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.

In part 3 of his Eel special, Neil looks at the more recent history of the eel, focussing upon the conservation of our new favourite slimy fish. In this episode Neil talks to his guest this week Andrew Kerr of the Sustainable Eel Group about the loss of the eels’ habitat, the success of the elver rewilding programme, how the SEG help adult eels find their way back to the Sargasso Sea, why elver trafficking is the biggest wildlife crime in history, and how Brexit may mess up the conservation effort.

Useful things:
Andrew’s twitter handle @SEGandrewK

The Sustainable Eel Group’s website: https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/

Neil’s blog post about the paradox of why eating elvers could save them: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/

All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘British Food a History’: https://britishfoodhistory.com/tag/eels/

All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/eel/

Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email 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.

In part 2 of his three-part Eel Special, Neil looks at adult eels – yes our little elvers from last week have all grown up. In this episode he looks at the folklore of eels, as well as how they were caught and cooked, and he talks to his guest this week John Wyatt Greenlee, medieval eel historian and maker of eel memes, about the importance of eel in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period.

Useful things:
John’s twitter handle @greenleejw
John’s excellent website: https://historiacartarum.org/
The infamous eel scene from ‘The Tin Drum’ (not a clip for the squeamish!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GFSstdnfqjk
Neil’s blog post about eel, pie and mash houses: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2012/01/22/eel-pie-and-mash/
Neil’s traumatic eel encounter: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/2009/10/13/next-simply-prepare-your-eels/
All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘British Food a History’: https://britishfoodhistory.com/tag/eels/
All of Neil’s eel posts from ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’: https://neilcooksgrigson.com/tag/eel/

Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email 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.

In part one of his three-part Eel Special, Neil focusses on eel fry – elvers, or glass eels – once a very important source of seasonal protein the south east and west of England. He visits a traditional elver fisherman to watch him haul in his catch and to find out why, paradoxically, to save this critically endangered species, we may have to eat it. Neil also looks at the ecologist who discovered that eel migrate back and forth to the Sargasso sea, the folklore surrounding elvers and provides some serving suggestions should you get your hands on some.

Useful things:
Elver Dave’s twitter handle: @elverdave
Life cycle of the European eel video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBRnNk_uo9Y
Neil’s blog post about the Eel Paradox: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/01/the-eel-paradox/
Elvers numbers are on the increase: https://www.sustainableeelgroup.org/endangered-elvers-have-made-a-dramatic-comeback-in-british-waters-following-a-year-of-perfect-conditions/
‘Elvers in the Gloucester Style’ recipe: https://britishfoodhistory.com/2013/02/10/elvers-in-the-gloucester-style/
The ‘Neil Cooks Grigson’ project. Will he ever complete it? https://neilcooksgrigson.com/


Also, don’t forget if you have any questions or queries about today’s episode, or indeed any episode, feel I missed something important, or have a question about the history of British food please email 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.