A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink

Hello and welcome to a little bonus minisode all about this year’s Serve it Forth Food History Festival 2026, which is online and on Saturday 17 October 2026.

The team, made up of the A is for Apple crew - Sam Bilton, Alessandra Pino and Neil Buttery - plus The Delicious Legacy's Thomas Ntinas, go through the day’s sessions to whet your appetite before the big day.

This episode also includes an interview by Sam Bilton with Kevin Booth of English Heritage ahead of her session on the Bayeux Tapestry, all about the skeleton and facial reco...

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 links

Custard

The team return to the theme of vegetables for this episode. Neil champions the much maligned cabbage which he calls the ‘dog of vegetables’. Sam expresses her beef with celery and why it needs a lot of help from its friends to make it more palatable. And Allie delves into the anthropomorphic qualities of cauliflower.

Sources/Useful Links

Cabbage

Celery

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...

Drink is the theme for this episode! Sam explores the (reputedly) perfect beverage to drink while giving birth. Neil chats to Tom and Lydia from Artistraw who make natural cider and perry. And Allie reveals there is a whole lot more to a cappuccino than a frothy top.

You can listen to the latest episode here or wherever you get your podcasts.

This is the penultimate episode before our Listener’s Choice finale so don’t forget to send us your suggestions for the culinary ‘C’s that we’ve overlooked and tell us why we should...

C is for Caraway, Curry & Cinnamon

In 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?

Things get wet and wild in this episode as the team explore fish and seafood. Allie explores the world of caviar, bumps and all. Sam introduces the gang to cockle bread and Neil asks whether there is any real point to cod?

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 Links

Cockles

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...

Sam Bilton Allie Pino and Neil Buttery are back with a brand new season exploring the culinary alphabet. This time it’s the letter ‘C’. In the first episode of this season our team had free reign to explore whatever took their fancy.

Sam opens with carbonado, diving into its rich history and cultural associations. Allie follows with carrots, exploring their meanings, myths, and surprising journeys through food history. Neil brings things to a close with cabinet pudding, a comforting and curious dish that rounds the conversation off rather nicely.

Don’t forget to email us at ai...

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 episode

Sam Bilton wins at the Fortum & Mason Awards

Museum of Royal Worcester project wins at the British Library Food Season Awards

Sam’s black pudding episode on Comfortably Hungry

Neil is appearing at the Chalke Festival on 27 June

Follow Serve it Forth History Festival 18 October on Instagram @serveitforthfest

Welcome to this bonus episode of A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink.

Last episode the theme was Meat, and as usual, the three of us nattered away for a bit too long and some of our conversation was edited out for time. One of these things was the part of Neil’s section on brains and the BSE crisis.

We’re busy behind the scenes getting the listener's choice episode ready for you, but hopefully this little snackette will keep you going.

 You can follow the A is fo...

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 Reading

Welcome to this bonus episode of A is for Apple: An Encyclopaedia of Food & Drink.

Last episode had the blue theme, and Neil chose to look at blue cheese, in particular Stichelton, which is made on the beautiful Welbeck Estate in rural Nottinghamshire. Neil spoke to Joe Schneider, who makes this delicious, unique farmhouse cheese. Neil cut the interview down to 6 minutes or so, but here it is in full.

They talk about how one gets into farmhouse cheesemaking, the importance of consistency and the best places to buy Stichelton as well as many other...

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 Cheese

Blue Corn

Check out Thom's podcast The Delicious Legacy here:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-delicious-legacy/id1494707127

Watch Thom smoke pork and mutton over a charcoal fire like an ancient Greek:

https://youtu.be/u7JN1pl_JVs?si=k-j6dZGYVne_0zUa

The Odyssey by Homer:

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/1727/1727-h/1727-h.htm

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 Links

Cooking is essentially a series of techniques. In Episode 4 Neil, Sam and Allie explore an ancient form of hearth cookery; find out why being called Béchamel could merit a kick in the posterior and get sizzling on the barbie. (No cakes or dolls were harmed in the making of this podcast 😉).

Useful Links

Neil’s recipes:

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:

In this episode of Season B, Sam, Neil and Ally focus on the world of baking. Sam cooks up some delicious (or not) baked beans, Neil considers the Bath bun and Ally dives into bagel culture.

Useful links, references and things mentioned in the episode:

Baked Beans

Beans: A History by Ken Albala (2007)

The Frugal Housewife by Lydia Maria Child (1829)

The Boston Cooking-School Cookbook by Fannie Merrit Farmer (1896) - (this is a link to the 1910 version)

The Truth about Baked Beans by Megan Muckenhoupt  (2015)

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...

In this episode, we explore food places beginning with 'B.' Neil uncovers the buttery—not the hearty Scottish roll, but the traditional place where wine is stored. Allie dives into the origins and charm of the bistro, with its revolutionary roots where food and culture come together in cosy, intimate spaces. Meanwhile, Sam unwraps the story of Bourneville, where chocolate and community collide. 

Useful links and things mentioned in the episode

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 here

You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and Bluesky

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/aisforapplepod

Email: aisofrapplepod@gmail.com

Welcome back to Season 2 of the A is for Apple podcast where Sam Bilton, Dr Neil Buttery and Dr Alessandra Pino will be exploring the bountiful letter B.

In this episode our team take a healthful approach to the start of the season. Allie goes bananas, Sam explores a once popular low-carb diet and Neil discovers why some fruits are only masquerading berries despite their names.

You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and Bluesky

Sam Bilton also hosts the Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Y...

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...

In this episode - the last of the A series! - Alessandra, Neil and Sam take on listeners’ suggestions to create quite the pot pourri mix of anchovies, alewives and avocados.

If you have any suggestions for season ‘B’ let us know! You can find A is for Apple on Instagram and X (Twitter) or email us at aisforapplepod@gmail.com

Useful links and things mentioned in the episode

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 th...

In this episode Allie gives Sam and Neil a topic to sink their teeth into as we discuss all things meaty. We chat about fake birds, meat jellies and learn why certain molecules make savoury food so irresistibly scrumptious.

Useful Links and things mentioned in the episode

Neil cooks Jane Grigson’s recipe for Guards of Honour

Eating Ortolans - Gastro Obscura

Neil’s woodcock recipe

Neil’s snipe recipe

Alouette, Gentile Alouette

Neil’s recipe for Seftons (savoury custards)

Neil cooks Jane Grigson’...

Here is an extra helping of the A is for Apple podcast following on from our last episode on vegetables. If you listened to the last 'A' episode, you’re probably thinking that we were on our best behaviour. But you should know us better than that by now!

As ever Allie, Neil and I talked for ages about our vegetal A’s and inevitably we strayed onto our pet subjects of aphrodisiacs and sex. So here are the saucy bits we couldn’t fit into the previous episode on vegetables. But we start by continuing our discussi...

In today’s episode we will be discussing what many a child dreads encountering on their dinner plate. So prepare yourself for a wrinkled nose or two, an impromptu visit to the sick room and a few prickly surprises as Allie, Neil and I explore the verdant world of vegetables. 

Useful Links

Sam’s Recipe for William Verrall’s Sweetbreads With Asparagus (1759)

Sam’s interpretation of Hannah Glasse’s Asparagus in a French Role (sic) on Instagram (essentially a quiche in a loaf of bread)

Neil’s Butter Sauce (a classic accompaniment...

In today’s baking themed episode, Alessandra looks into that classic piece of kitchen kit, the Aga, Neil investigates hyper-regional Welsh biscuits called Aberffraw cakes and Sam goes oh-so-retro with a deep-dive into angelica.

Books and other things mentioned in this episode:

Joanna Trollope A Village Affair (1989) Televised version (1995)

Book on Archive.org Television adaptation on YouTube

Mary Berry New Aga Cookbook (1999) Book on Archive.org

Ambrose Heath First Aga cookbook: Good Food on the Aga (1933) Book on Persephone Books

Sussex Pond Pudding Recipe on Neil Cooks Gr...

Things start to get fruity in this third episode. Neil chooses almonds, fuelling a historical debate that goes a bit nuts. Apricots are more Allie’s jam as she looks at their use in literature and Sam takes the less beaten track of the aubergine, sparking memories of the time she made a parmigiana…on TV!

Useful Links

Neil's recipe for - or, rather, interpretation of - medieval blanc mange and modern, sweet blancmange.

‘Almond trees in Ancient Greek lore’ on the Greek News Agenda website

History of the Bimberlot Festival. ‘A French P...

Ever wondered what the origins of the word jerk are? Or how you can tell whether your allspice is fresh? Sam, Neil and Allie seek answers to these questions in this mini bonus episode.

Suggested Reading

Hans Sloane, A voyage to the islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves, S. Christophers and Jamaica, with the natural history ... (Volume 1) (1707)

Hans Sloane, ‘A Description of the Pimienta or Jamaica Pepper-Tree, and of the Tree That Bears the Cortex Winteranus,’ in Philosophical Transactions (1686)

Melissa Thompson, Motherland: A Jamaican Cookbook (2022)

We’ve been fine tuning our olfactory organs and immersing ourselves in a cloud of wonderful scents. In this episode Neil explains why asafoetida is a substitute for garlic and onions by some religious groups; Sam chats to food writer and broadcaster Melissa Thompson about jerk seasoning (which includes allspice) and Allie has a gripe about a literary misappropriation of aniseed.

Useful Links

For more information on Melissa Thompson visit the FOWL MOUTHS: Food & Recipe Project website or Instagram. Melissa’s book Motherland is a great read as well as being packed with mouthwatering recipes.

Neil...

In this bonus episode, Allie interviews apple detective Tom Adams to discuss his work in uncovering forgotten and nearly extinct apple varieties, and why preserving them is crucial.

Contact us:

email: aisforapplepod.gmail.com

Find our Substack, social media & various other bits and bobs via our Linktree: linktr.ee/aisforapplepod

In the very first episode, Neil is presenting and gives everyone a free choice as to what topic they want to talk about, as long as it begins with A of course. Alessandra goes for apples, Neil chooses absinthe and Sam looks into adulteration.

Links to things mentioned in this episode:

‘13 Magical Ways to Use Apples’

Glyn Hughes’ Alan Turin sculpture

‘Lancashire man poisoned after eating cherry seeds’ article on BBC News

‘How Did La Belle Époque Become Europe’s Golden Age?’ article on The Collector

‘Site of "The Absinthe Mu...