The Hungry Historians

Kelly A Spring and Matt Phillpott
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Join Kelly Spring and Matt Phillpott for interviews and conversations with leading writers on the history of food and drink. New episodes fortnightly.

  1. 6D AGO

    Diet Books with Adrienne Bitar

    What happens when we examine diet books as a form of literature that addresses some of the deeper existential questions of our identity and our understanding of our own bodies and those of others? In this episode Kelly and Matt interview Adrienne Bitar about her book Diet and the Disease of Civilization, published by Rutgers University Press in 2018. Adrienne focuses her interest on American diet books and specific diet types - the Paleo and Garden of Eden diets and the detoxification (detox) diet. In this conversation we cover how diets are often couched in myth and legend, and lean back to simpler times and even human organs and hunter-gatherer lifestyles. We also touch on how diet books cross a sometimes inconsistent boundary between science and rejecting science, and what diets tell us about our modern society and understanding of ourselves. You can find out more about Adrienne at the Cornell University website and her website. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠Bloomsbury Food Library⁠⁠,  an essential resource for students, researchers, and scholars studying food, offering the widest-ranging existing collection of food studies content.

    44 min
  2. Cocktails with Nicola Nice

    JAN 29

    Cocktails with Nicola Nice

    Cocktails are not just enjoyed in bars but also at home. Join us, Kelly Spring and Matthew Phillpott, in this week's episode of The Hungry Historians, where we explore the world of the cocktail parlor with Nicola Nice. In 2024, Nicola published The Cocktail Parlor with Countryman Press, and in the episode we discuss the history of cocktails at home, how women are crucial to the development and uses of cocktails, and much more. You can find out more about Nicola at her website licolanice.com, and on Instagram. This episode is sponsored by ⁠⁠Bloomsbury Food Library⁠⁠,  an essential resource for students, researchers, and scholars studying food, offering the widest-ranging existing collection of food studies content.

    42 min
  3. Sake with Eric C Rath

    JAN 15

    Sake with Eric C Rath

    In this episode of The Hungry Historians Matthew Phillpott and Kelly Spring interview Eric C. Rath about his book Kanpai: The History of Sake (Reaktion Books, 2025). Eric brings us into the world of sake, both in Japan and its increasing popularity internationally. You can find out more about Eric C. Rath on his profile page. Kanpai is available from Reakton Books and all good bookshops. This episode is sponsored by Bloomsbury Food Library,  an essential resource for students, researchers, and scholars studying food, offering the widest-ranging existing collection of food studies content.

    40 min
  4. School Lunches with Marcus Weaver-Hightower

    12/18/2025

    School Lunches with Marcus Weaver-Hightower

    Welcome to the second episode of season 2 of The Hungry Historians. In this episode Kelly A. Spring and Matt Phillpott interview educator, scholar and creator Marcus Weaver-Hightower about his book Unpacking School Lunch. In this episode we explore the challenges and politics of school lunches, mainly in the US, but also with a quick excursion into the UK system. You can find out more about Marcus Weaver-Hightower at his ⁠website⁠. Unpacking School Lunch is available from Palgrave Macmillan and all good bookshops.

    42 min
  5. Air and Love with Or Rosenboim

    12/04/2025

    Air and Love with Or Rosenboim

    Welcome to the first episode of season 2 of The Hungry Historians. In this episode Kelly A. Spring and Matt Phillpott interview historian and writer, Or Rosenboim on her 2024 book Air and Love: A Story of Food, Migration and Belonging. This book is one part history told through the story of food, cooking, and eating, and one part family history. The book follows Or's family as it migrates from Samarkand, Riga, Jerusualem, and Tel Aviv in the 19th and early 20th centuries. You can find out more about Or Rosenboim at her website. Air and Love is available from Pan MacMillan and all good bookshops.

    44 min
  6. SPAM with Kelly A. Spring

    09/25/2025

    SPAM with Kelly A. Spring

    This month's episode of The Hungry Historians turns our attention to our host Kelly A. Spring, who has just released her new book with Reaktion Books as part of their 'The Edible Series'. This book is a study of Spam, looking particularly at its origins, importance during World War II, and its afterlife, especially in Korea, the USA. In this episode, Matt interviews Kelly about her book to learn more about this fasinating food product. SPAM: A Global History can be bought from Reaktion Books and other booksellers.

    33 min
  7. Queers at the Table with Alex Ketchum and Megan Elias

    09/02/2025

    Queers at the Table with Alex Ketchum and Megan Elias

    In this month's episode of The Hungry Historians, Kelly and Matt chat with Alex Ketchum and Megan Elias about their book "Queers at the Table". This is an anthology of essays, comics, and recipes that reveals the dynamic and transformative relationship between queerness and food. In this episode we discuss the nature of putting such a book together, what the intended purposes were, and what they hoped their readers will do with the book and how they hope to gain more interaction through various forthcoming events and activities. Queers at the Table is available via Arsenal Pulp Press and various other booksellers.

    47 min
  8. Leftovers with Eleanor Barnett

    07/31/2025

    Leftovers with Eleanor Barnett

    Is food waste a modern creation or does it have a long and interesting history? In this month's episode Matt and Kelly interview Eleanor Barnett about her book "Leftovers: A History of Food Waste and Preservation" which can be found at Bloomsbury Publishers and other book retailers.

    1h 1m
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About

Join Kelly Spring and Matt Phillpott for interviews and conversations with leading writers on the history of food and drink. New episodes fortnightly.

Information

  • Creator
    Kelly A Spring and Matt Phillpott
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Kelly A Spring and Matt Phillpott
  • Show Website
    The Hungry Historians