Folklore, Food and Fairytales

Rachel Mosses
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A storytelling podcast featuring stories with recipes and food history connected to each episode's story. Is the food in fairytales and folklore really symbolic or does it just make the tale relatable? Food and stories have their own rituals and feed different parts of us. If you had to choose between the two, could you? How is the history of food tied into stories? Will this podcast answer these questions or will there just be a great story and a highly tenuous link to a delicious recipe? You'll have to listen to find out.

  1. FEB 7

    Love Magic, Divination & Folklore with Icy Sedgwick

    Guest: Icy Sedgwick — folklorist, author, and host of The Fabulous Folklore Podcast Topic: Love magic, divination, and the rituals people used to find (or keep) love. Book: ⁠Bring Me Love: Finding and Keeping Love Using Divination and Folk Magic⁠ by Icy Sedgwick In this episode, we welcome back folklorist, author, and host of The Fabulous Folklore Podcast, Icy Sedgwick, to talk about her newest book: Bring Me Love: Finding and Keeping Love Using Folk Magic. If you’ve listened before, you’ll know Icy’s brilliant blend of deep research, humour, and a lifelong fascination with the supernatural. If you’re new — you’re in for a treat. We dive into the wonderfully strange, practical, and often charming world of love magic and divination. * The historical roots of love magic and why it mattered so deeply, especially for women with limited choices. * How everyday objects — herbs, cakes, pins, candles — became tools for predicting or attracting love. * Why many rituals focused on discovering a future spouse’s occupation rather than their personality. * The difference between folk magic, cunning folk, and more ceremonial occult traditions. * How love divination travelled and transformed across regions, especially from Europe to North America. * The ethical and practical challenges of deciding what to include in a book on love magic. We also explore the delightfully odd rituals people genuinely tried — from walking upstairs backwards in silence to baking “silent cakes,” and even interpreting the shapes of egg whites floating in warm water. You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my ⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠ You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: ⁠⁠How Food Frames Stories⁠⁠. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: ⁠⁠Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller ⁠⁠ You can also ⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠ here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at ⁠⁠Hestia's Kitchen⁠⁠ which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    40 min

  2. 02/13/2024

    An Ending and a Beginning

    So, some big news about changes to the podcast plus a wonderful story: Davey & The King of the Fishes. You can find out and get updates about my new podcast at my new website: A Question of Death You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my ⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠ which will continue as purely as storytelling podcast with a monthly folktale or two featuring food. You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: ⁠⁠How Food Frames Stories⁠⁠. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: ⁠⁠Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller ⁠⁠ You can also ⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠ here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at ⁠⁠Hestia's Kitchen⁠⁠ which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    11 min

  3. 12/16/2023

    Tales of Frost and Snow

    A collection of wintery and festive tales for the season: Why the Sea is Salt, The Christmas Bear and Twelve Brothers. The first is 'Why the Sea is Salt' a Norwegian tale adapted from Christmas Fairytales colled by Neil Phillip. The story begins on a bitterly cold Christmas Eve when a poor and hungry man finds himself unable to provide for his family and turns to his rich brother. The brother unwittingly starts him on the road toto a better life, but first he must pay a trip to hell with a side of bacon ......... The second is The Christmas Bear inspired by and adapted from the tale shared by both Lari Don in Fire & Ice and by Margaret Sperry in Scandinavian Stories. The story begins in the coldest part of Norway with a hunter and the capture of a strangely stubborn but wise snow bear. They stop on their journey to find out why a family is forced from their home every Christmas Eve ........ The third is Twelve Brothers, adapted from Folktales of Scandinavia collected by Polly Curren. The story begins when a Queen of the of the cold northern lands who has been blessed with many sons, spills red blood on the white snow and dreams of a daughter. This sets in train a set of entirely unforeseen circumstances ..... You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my ⁠⁠Linktree⁠⁠ You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: ⁠⁠How Food Frames Stories⁠⁠. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: ⁠⁠Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller ⁠⁠ You can also ⁠⁠subscribe⁠⁠ here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at ⁠⁠Hestia's Kitchen⁠⁠ which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    40 min

  4. 11/14/2023

    The Widow & Her Daughters or the Kale Conspiracy

    In which we discover that strange food stealing horses don't always have your best intentions at heart, that you should always be kind to cats, rowan is good for protection and that kale has its very own folklore. The Story: The Widow & Her Daughters adapted from the version in Popular Tales of the Western Highlands collected by Joseph Campbell. The Recipe: Wilted Kale If you would like to find out more about what I talked about in this episode you can find books and links at ⁠Further Reading⁠ You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my ⁠Linktree⁠ You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: ⁠How Food Frames Stories⁠. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: ⁠Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller ⁠ You can also ⁠subscribe⁠ here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at ⁠Hestia's Kitchen⁠ which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    25 min

  5. 10/24/2023

    Slightly Scary Story Special

    The ⁠Stories⁠ in this episode are: Golden Hair, The Lass & her Good Stout Blackthorn Stick and The Tailor in the Church adapated from Sorche nic Leodhas and Ruth Manning Sanders  This is another just the stories episode, this time for All Hallows Eve. There are three traditional tales which are just a little bit scary but also a little bit clever and maybe also just a little bit silly in the case of the last tale. I hope you enjoy these tales even if you prefer yours a bit more bone chilling normally.   You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my ⁠Linktree⁠ You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: ⁠How Food Frames Stories⁠. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: ⁠Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller ⁠ You can also ⁠subscribe⁠ here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at ⁠Hestia's Kitchen⁠ which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    31 min

  6. 10/17/2023 · BONUS

    An All Hallows Feast - Menus, Symbolism & Folklore

    In which I explore a completely different direction, have fun with food symbolism and folklore at this interesting time of year and make a realisation about how I really feel about good food. I hope you enjoy this bonus episode as it is very different to anything I have done on the podcast before. I will be presenting a menu for a Halloween or an All Hallows Eve Feast, providing some of the folk beliefs or symbolic meanings for the foods involved and folklore around some of the ingredients for each course. You can download the recipes and menu on my Ko-Fi page for free. If you would like to find out more about what I talked about in this episode you can find books and links at Further Reading You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my Linktree You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: How Food Frames Stories. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller  You can also subscribe here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at Hestia's Kitchen which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    23 min

  7. 10/10/2023

    The Kitchen Witch Companion: An Interview with Sarah Robinson

    In this episode I interviewed the wonderful Sarah Robinson about the fabulous book she has created with Lucy H Pearce: The Kitchen Witch Companion: Recipes, Rituals & Reflections If you are reading this on or before 19 October 23 there is still a chance to pre order this direct from the publisher there will still be a chance to pre-order the book direct from Womancraft Publishing (pre-ordering direct from Womancraft gets you a selection of free e-goodies, signed copy & bookmark) https://womancraftpublishing.com/product/kitchen-witch-companion/ Then from 3 November 23 its available worldwide from all the usual online booksellers, or direct from Womancraft, or you can get you local indie bookshop to order it in!  If you have any questions or just want to find out more you can find the publisher @womancraft_publishing or Sarah @yogaforwitches on Instagram You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my Linktree You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: How Food Frames Stories. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller  You can also subscribe here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at Hestia's Kitchen which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    33 min

  8. 09/12/2023

    The Beekeeper and the Hare or The Hot Honey Horror

    In which we discover that everything is not always as it seems, that you should take advice from helpful travellers, that bees can be excellent as a home protection system and that the taste of honey can make you cross worlds. The Story: The Beekeeper & The Hare adapted from Thistle & Thyme collected by Sorche nic Leodhas The Recipe: Hot Honey If you would like to find out more about what I talked about in this episode you can find books and links at Further Reading You can find more about me and Folklore, Food and Fairytales via my Linktree You can find the interviews in my newest interview series here: How Food Frames Stories. You can find my interviews with storytellers here: Vernacular Voices of the Storyteller  You can also subscribe here (or just read) my free newsletter for further snippets of folklore, history, stories, vintage recipes, herblore & the occasional cocktail. You can also find out more at Hestia's Kitchen which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.

    30 min
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About

A storytelling podcast featuring stories with recipes and food history connected to each episode's story. Is the food in fairytales and folklore really symbolic or does it just make the tale relatable? Food and stories have their own rituals and feed different parts of us. If you had to choose between the two, could you? How is the history of food tied into stories? Will this podcast answer these questions or will there just be a great story and a highly tenuous link to a delicious recipe? You'll have to listen to find out.

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