A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink

It’s a Listener Choice special as the team tackle three very different culinary favourites. Sam champions custard in all its forms, from medieval recipes to modern puddings. Allie investigates the mischievous history of Sicily’s “Chancellor’s Buttocks” pastry. And Neil celebrates the crumpet, exploring the history of those hole-filled griddle cakes that have become a staple of the British tea table.Sources/ Useful linksCustardThere’s a very good overview of custard by Neil on the British Food History Podcast website along with a recipe for proper custard.The history of Birds Custard How to make pastry cream (Crème pâtissière)Two Fifteenth Century Cookbooks by Thomas Austin (1888)Cooking and Dining in Medieval England by Peter Brears (2012)Dumas on Food (Translated by Alan and Jane Davidson) by Alexandre Dumas (1979)A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf (1935)The Tale of the Custard Dragon by Ogden Nash (1936) - a cute poem about a cowardly dragon called custard.Laurel and Hardy - The Battle of the Century (1927) - The Pie FightDr Who ‘Fish Fingers and Custard’ on YouTubeRhubarb and Custard (the 1970s cartoon) on YouTubeCustard Pie song by Led ZeppelinByron’s letters, including references to custard and other food-related observations, can be accessed via Peter Cochran’s edition of Byron’s Correspondence.Allie’s talk on Byron and baked rosewater custards, hosted with Sam Hirst, is available here.Chancellor’s ButtocksSimeti, M.T. (1989) Pomp and Sustenance: Twenty-Five Centuries of Sicilian Food. "Palermo's Secret Dessert Scene" (Saveur) – an introduction to Palermo's historic pastry culture, including fedde del cancelliere (Chancellor's Buttocks).Cavalli, Rita, “Fedde del monastero, il dolce delle monache di Palermo che si prendevano gioco del fondoschiena del Primo Ministro”, FIRSTonline (17 February 2024): FIRSTonline article on the Fedde del Cancelliere and Palermo's convent confectionery traditionsCrumpetsNeil’s crumpets recipe from British Food: A HistoryNeil’s muffins recipe with table of crumpet-muffin recipes showing the fluidity between the twoKnead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery (2024)English Bread & Yeast Cookery by Elizabeth David (1977)The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy by Hannah Glasse (1747)Crumpets with Potted Shrimps on FoodismWant to make the dripping crumpets of Rebecca? Pre-order Allie's A Gothic Cookbook, out this October, published by The History Press.Don’t forget Allie will be exploring food and feasting in the works of the Brontë sisters and other classic gothic writers at an in-person event at the Brontë Parsonage Museum on 18 July 2026.Allie will also be presenting an online talk on Gothic feasts with Morbid Anatomy on 26 October 2026.Join Sam, Neil and Allie in person for a live recording of A is for Apple at Ludlow Food Festival on 11 September 2026.Allie will be appearing at the Bury St Edmunds Literature Festival on 11 October 2026, where she will be in conversation with author Kate Young.The Serve It Forth Food History Festival returns online on 18 October 2026. Keep an eye on social media for further announcements.This is the final episode of Season C of A is for Apple. Thank you to everyone who listened, shared episodes, and sent in suggestions for our Listener Choice special.We look forward to welcoming you back for Season D. Until then, happy cooking, happy reading, and thank you for joining us on this alphabetical adventure through food and drink culture.

As promised in the last episode of A is for Apple, here is the full interview with Tom Tibbits and Lydia Crimp of Artistraw Cidery and Orchard in Herefordshire.Lydia and Tom go to great efforts to make a natural cider and perry using fruit from their own orchards, fermented the natural way without pitching any yeast.You can find out more about Artistraw on their website www.artistraw.co.uk, where you can also sign up to their newsletter, or follow them on Twitter, Instagram and Bluesky @artistrawcider.Today, we talk about the basic process of natural cider making, and how it is both an art and a science, what makes a good cider apple, terroir, and the folklore associated with cidermaking.I’ll be back in a week with Alessandra Pino and Sam Bilton with the next regular episode of A is for Apple.See Artistraw on BBC Countryfile: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002kw2wDon’t forget to email us at aisforapplepod@gmail.com or tag us on Instagram or BlueSky if you have any suggestions for future episodes.You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and BlueskySam Bilton also hosts the award winning Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron The Philosophy of Chocolate and Much Ado About Cooking: Delicious Shakespearean Feasts for Every Occasion (written in collaboration with Shakespeare’s Globe). You can find her on Instagram and BlueskyDr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar, Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper as well as Knead to Know: A History of Baking and The Philosophy of Pudding with another book in progress. You can find him on Instagram and BlueskyDr Allie Pino produces and hosts the Curious Appetite Podcast and the Fear Feasts Podcast with Vanessa Baca. She is also the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook and is currently working on a new book. You can find her on Instagram and Bluesky

C is for Caraway, Curry & CinnamonIn this episode of A is for Apple, we turn to aromatics and ask what these ingredients carry with them beyond flavour.From the binding qualities of caraway in early modern folklore to the layered histories of curry and its place in Britain, and the enduring warmth of cinnamon, we explore how spices move, adapt, and settle. Along the way, we think about trade, migration, memory, and the ways in which taste is shaped over time.And somewhere along the line… did we get a little carawayed?What we discussCinnamonWhat is the difference between cinnamon and cassia, and does it matter?Why is cinnamon so strongly associated with comfort and memory?How has it been used historically, both in cooking and in medicine?CurryIf one dish tells the story of Britain, is it chicken tikka masala?Can food ever belong to one place once it starts to travel?What do curry houses reveal about adaptation and taste?Is “authenticity” a useful concept, or does it obscure more than it reveals?We also draw on insights from Allie’s previous conversation with Mallika Basu on A Curious Appetite with Dr Alessandra Pino, her new podcast, particularly around migration, flavour, and the politics of naming.CarawayFrom comfits to cupboards, how has caraway been used in cooking?Why was it once believed to prevent loss, theft, or even wandering lovers?What does this tell us about the symbolic life of everyday ingredients?Useful links amd further readingCarawayAnderson, I. (2023). The History and Natural History of Spices: The 5,000 Year Search for Flavour. The History Press.Brears, P. (2012). Cooking & Dining in Medieval England. Prospect Books.Davidson, A. (1999). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.Hieatt, C. B., & Butler, S. (1985). Curye on Inglysch: English culinary manuscripts of the fourteenth century. Oxford University Press.Mason, L. (1988). Sugar-Plums and Sherbert: The Prehistory of Sweets. Prospect Books.CurryCollingham, Lizzie. Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006.Dickson Wright, Clarissa. A History of English Food. London: Random House, 2011.Glasse, Hannah. The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. 1803.Huxley, Aldous. Jesting Pilate. 1926.Panayi, Panikos. Migrant City: A New History of London. 2020.Panayi, Panikos. Spicing Up Britain. 1995.Sukhadwala, Sejal. The Philosophy of Curry. 2023. Empire Podcast – “Inventing Curry: The British Taste for India”Cinnamonhttps://www.britannica.com/plant/cinnamonHow cinnamon is harvested:https://youtube.com/shorts/4LINdKpRmpM?si=dYt_TS0Ny9KqJQo-https://youtu.be/fNguphwF_hI?si=1jS0qWsyseRQGVFRGet in touchIf there’s something you’d like us to think with, a food, a memory, a question, do write in. We’d love to hear what you’re curious about.You can get in touch with us via Bluesky @AisforApplepod. You can also Tweet us at A is for Apple Pod and we’re on Instagram at A is for Apple Pod_ and you can find a group dedicated to the podcast on Facebook. Or you can email us at 📩aisforapplepod@gmail.com.

Today’s theme is PEOPLE! Allie, Neil and Sam bring some guests with them to this episode (metaphorically speaking). One is renowned for her flamboyancy; another is an avid champion of fruit and veg and the last has a very large bone to pick with one of history’s most renowned cookbook authors. But can you guess who they are?(Well of course you can because their names are in the title, but indulge us by playing along!) Don’t forget to email us at aisforapplepod@gmail.com or tag us on Instagram or BlueSky if you have any suggestions for future episodes. You may also want to subscribe to the A is for Apple Substack where we publish recipes and extra audio content.Sources/Useful LinksFanny CradockFear of Fanny - BBC 2006Keep Calm and Fanny On! By Kevin GeddesBritish Food History Podcast EpisodeFanny Cradock with Kevin Geddes - The British Food History PodcastGwen Troake and Fanny Cradock (1976)Fanny Cradock Cooks for Christmas (1975) | BBCAnn CookProfessed Cookery by Ann CookA Cook’s Perspective byClarissa F. Dillon & Deborah J. PetersonThe Art of Cookery Made Plain & Easy by Hannah GlasseBook review of A. Cook’s Perspective by Neil on British Food: a HistoryNeil’s disastrous attempt at cooking Hannah Glasse’s Christmas Pie on Neil Cooks GrigsonBefore Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England’s Most Influential Housekeeper by Neil ButteryIvan Day’s 22-stone Yorkshire Christmas PyeGiacomo CastelvetroThe Fruit, Herbs & Vegetables of Italy by Giacomo Castelvetro (1614)Profitable insructions [sic] for the manuring, sowing, and planting of kitchin gardens Very profitable for the common wealth and greatly for the helpe and comfort of poore people. Gathered by Richard Gardiner of Shrewsberie. (1603)You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and BlueskySam Bilton also hosts the award winning Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron The Philosophy of Chocolate and Much Ado About Cooking: Delicious Shakesperean Feasts for Every Occasion (written in collaboration with Shakespeare’s Globe). You can find her on Instagram and BlueskyDr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar, Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper as well as Knead to Know: A History of Baking and The Philosophy of Pudding with another book in progress. You can find him on Instagram and BlueskyDr Allie Pino produces and hosts the Curious Appetite Podcast and the Fear Feasts Podcast with Vanessa Baca. She is also the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook and is currently working on a new book. You can find her on Instagram and Bluesky

Welcome to Episode 7 of Season B. This is a Listener’s Choice ep, and things get hot, messy and monstrous as Sam, Neil and Alessandra look at Boiling, Bloody Mary and bay leaves.Things mentioned in this episodeSam Bilton wins at the Fortum & Mason AwardsMuseum of Royal Worcester project wins at the British Library Food Season AwardsSam’s black pudding episode on Comfortably HungryNeil is appearing at the Chalke Festival on 27 JuneFollow Serve it Forth History Festival 18 October on Instagram @serveitforthfestLinks & Further ReadingBoilingActon, E. (1845). Modern Cookery For Private Families. Quadrille.Beeton, I. (1861). The Book of Household Management. Lightning Source.Davidson, A. (1999). The Oxford Companion to Food. Oxford University Press.Grigson, J. (1992). English Food (Third Edit). Penguin.McGee, H. (1984). On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen (1st ed.). Allen and Unwin.Smith, D. (1998). Delia’s How to Cook Book 1. BBC Books.Bayleaf:Culpeper’s Herbal (I’ll find a link late)What Is a Bay Leaf, Exactly? – Atlas Obscura https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/what-is-a-bay-leafPliny Natural History iv: Books 12-16 https://archive.org/details/L370PlinyNaturalHistoryIV1216/page/n391/mode/2up?q=laurelOvid Metamorphosis https://www.gutenberg.org/files/21765/21765-h/21765-h.htmBloody Mary:Why Is There an Entire Fried Chicken on My Bloody Mary?: An exploration of outrageous garnishes and the drink’s over-the-top evolution. The Spruce EatsThe Tomato in America by Andrew F. Smith (1994): A rich history of the tomato- from suspicion to Bloody Mary staple. Essential reading for any cocktail historian.James Bond’s Other Drink: Long before Vesper, Bond was sipping Bloody Marys- shaken, not stirred, of course. Bormioli LuigiBloody Mina Gothtail: A Gothic twist on the classic- dark, dramatic, and dangerously drinkable. Instagram Recipe

Welcome to Episode 6 of Season B. The theme is ‘Meat’ and Sam, Neil and Alessandra get beefy with three choice nuggets of fleshy goodness, looking at Beef Wellington, Brains and Bovril. Don’t get the meat sweats!Don’t forget the next episode is the Listeners’ Choice. Please send your suggestions (with a reason why you’ve chosen it) to aisofrapplepod@gmail.com. Your deadline is 21st May!Links & Further ReadingDid Sam win the awards for Best Audio at the Fortnum & Mason Awards?Allie will be taking part in the online conference an ONLINE conference on 23rd and 24th August 2025 marking the 100th anniversary of MR James A Warning to the Curious and Other Ghost Stories talking about food and the supernatural: https://romancingthegothic.com/2025/01/06/cfp-for-a-warning-to-the-curious-ghostly-supernatural-and-weird-tales/ Follow Serve it Forth history festival on Instagram @serveitforthfestThe Leeds Symposium of Food History and Traditions facebook pageBeef WellingtonManuale de cuoco e del pasticciere III by Vincenzo Agnoletti (1834) (Italian)Paddington Takes The Test by Michael Bond (1999)Julia Child cooks beef wellington on The French ChefBetty Crocker’s Hostess Cookbook (1967)Irish Traditional Food by Theodora Fitzgibbon (1984)Fashionable food: seven decades of food fads by Sylvia Lovegren, (1995)The French Menu Cookbook by Richard Olney (1970)You can read more about the Waterloo banquets on the Apsley House and Wellington Arch blog here and here.Lines of Wellington trailerRead about how beef wellington was used as a murder weapon in Australia.BrainsEnglish Food (Third Edition) by Jane Grigson (1992The Complete Nose to Tail: A Kind of British Cooking by Fergus Henderson (2012)Jane Grigson’s Brains in Black Butter recipe on Neil Cooks GrigsonGood Food by Ambrose Heath (1932; contains brain and tongue pudding recipe)Neil’s blog post about cooking snipe with recipeBovrilVril: The Coming Race by Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1871)Shackleton Bovril advert: http://www.tommyspackfillers.com/gallery/medpopup.php?imageNo=1085How the British empire spells Bovril: https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O828155/how-the-british-empire-spells-print-dolman-ernest/My Bones and My Flute by Edgar Mittelholzer (1955)You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and BlueskySam Bilton also hosts the Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron and The Philosophy of Chocolate. You can find her on Instagram and BlueskyDr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar, Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper as well as Knead to Know: A History of Baking and The Philosophy of Pudding. You can find him on Instagram and BlueskyDr Allie Pino hosts the Fear Feasts Podcast with Vanessa Baca and is the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook. You can find her on Instagram and Bluesky

In Episode 5 the intrepid team enter their blue period. Neil finds out how a unique blue cheese was resurrected from obscurity thanks to some mouldy leather. Allie explores the significance of blue corn to the Hopi in Arizona. And Sam explains why a blue flower was believed to lift the spirits (and also looks great in a glass of Pimms).Useful Links and Further Reading:Blue CheeseStichelton DairyNeal’s Yard DairyEau de StiltonHarold McGee, On Food & Cooking (1984)Val Cheke, The Story of Cheese-Making in Britain (1959)Blue CornFlour: A Comprehensive Guide by Christine McFadden, 2018Hopi Culture - https://itcaonline.com/member-tribes/hopi-tribe/The Corn Maiden in Hopi Tradition: https://blog.kachinahouse.com/the-corn-maiden-unveiling-the-harvest-and-fertility-symbolism-among-the-hopi/Borage‘Borage – A Star Of Nature’ on Stories From The Museum Floor , 25 August 2017Robert Tyas, The sentiment of flowers; or, Language of flora (1841)John Gerard, The Herbal, or a Generall historie of plantes (1636)Pliny, Natural Histories VIIAnon, A Proper New Booke of Cookery (1575)You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and BlueskySam Bilton also hosts the Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron and The Philosophy of Chocolate. You can find her on Instagram and BlueskyDr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar, Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper as well as Knead to Know: A History of Baking and The Philosophy of Pudding. You can find him on Instagram and BlueskyDr Allie Pino hosts the Fear Feasts Podcast with Vanessa Baca and is the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook. You can find her on Instagram and Bluesky

In this bonus episode, Allie explores the rich tradition of barbacoa from  Chef Edson Diaz-Fuentes' hometown, diving into its regional variations and the traditional pit-cooking techniques that define its deep, smoky flavours. They also discuss his journey through London’s dynamic food scene and how his three restaurants bring the heart of Mexican cuisine to the city.Ciudad de México: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Mexico City by Edson Diaz Fuentes (2021)Useful LinksCiudad de México: Recipes and Stories from the Heart of Mexico City by Edson Diaz Fuentes (2021)Edson and Natalie Feary have three restaurants in London- find out more here: https://www.santoremedio.co.uk/ 

In this bonus episode of A is for Apple, Allie looks into the unexpected Britishness of bagels, their nostalgic ties to celebrations, and even their royal connections.In this episode:Discover how bagels earned a place in Good Housekeeping's 2024 best street party food listLearn about bagels' links to Queen Elizabeth’s Silver Jubilee and William and Kate's visit to Brick Lane's famous Beigel BakeExplore inventive modern bagel fillings, from peanut butter and strawberries to chicken katsuHear from Debs Rinkoff of the iconic Rinkoff Bakery, who reveals their all-time best-selling bagel fillings - salmon and cream cheese, and salt beef with gherkins and mustard - and shares her thoughts on bagels' growing popularityPlease note: This episode was recorded on location at Rinkoff Bakery, so the audio may be less polished than usual, but the insights (and bagel talk) are well worth it.We’d love to hear from you. Connect with us at:Twitter: @aisforapplepodInstagram: @aisforapplepod_Email: aisforapplepod@gmail.comBlueSky: @aisforapplepodEnjoy this tasty bonus bite of food history!

Welcome to a special extra tidbit excised from the previous episode where Ally, Sam and Neil talked about butteries. We ended up going off on one about the upper servants - off-topic, but interesting (we hope!) and so here it is for your aural entertainment.You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and X (Twitter).Sam Bilton also hosts the Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron and The Philosophy of Chocolate. You can find her on Instagram , X & Bsky. Dr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar and Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper, The Philosophy of Chocolate, Knead to Know: A History of Baking You can find him on Instagram ,X & Bsky.Dr Alessandra Pino hosts the Fear Feasts Podcast with Vanessa Baca and is the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook. You can find her on Instagram , X & Bsky.

This is the uncut discussion between Neil and Rachel Webster, Curator of Botany at the Manchester Museum. There is more talk of fruit and berries, including a gobsmacking fact surrounding avocado seeds, and we answer the all-important question: Is an apple a berry?Find out more about the Manchester Museum hereYou can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and BlueskyLinktree: https://linktr.ee/aisforapplepodEmail: aisofrapplepod@gmail.com

In this bonus episode Sam explores the Instagram sensation that is the avocado and why this berry that takes its name from the Aztec word for testicle makes some people rather anxious. This is the full interview with author and environmental journalist Louise Gray, who’s book  Avocado Anxiety tracks the stories of our five-a-day from farm to fruit bowl and uncovers the impact that growing fruits and vegetables has on the planet.You can follow Louise on Instagram and X or find out more about her work here.You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and X (Twitter).

In this extra bonus episode, Neil talks with Sam and Alessandra about why getting plenty of nitrogen in the soil is good for making amino acids and therefore protein.You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and X (Twitter).Sam Bilton also hosts the Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron and The Philosophy of Chocolate. You can find her on Instagram and X.Dr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar and Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper. You can find him on Instagram and X.Dr Alessandra Pino also co-hosts the Fear Feasts Podcast and is the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook. You can find her on Instagram and X.