Folklore, Food and Fairytales

In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through food writing. I interviewed some very talented writers who tell stories through their food writing to find out why how food has shaped their writing and in what ways food enhances t...

In which we discover that when you are forced to leave home you should always try and take your best frock, that salt can spark both joy and anger and that there is a little Cinderella everywhere if you look hard enough. The Tale: Cap O'Rushes If you would like to find more information about any of the stories,  books or research mentioned in this episode you can find them in Further Reading....

In which we discover that the trickster can be tricked, that a good knowledge of crops is essential if you want to best a bogle, that everyone needs a wiffle waffle occasionally and there are few situations in which festival specific bread & cheese doesnt enhance your daily experience. The Tale: The Farmer & The Bogle The Recipe: Harvest Lardy Cake If you would like to find more informatio...

A bonus interview episode with historian Emma Kay about her brand new book A History of Herbalis: Cure, Cook and Conjure.  we had a lovely chat and I asked some slightly impertinent questions.  All I can say if you are interested in Herbalism for any reason, go and get this book as its a fascinating read and we only really touched the surface. You can subscribe (or just read) my free new...

In which we discover the connection between unmanageable women, good strong vinegar and the importance of good manners. We also learn that happiness can be found anywhere but chances are improved if there is a rocking chair, a fire and a cat. The Tale : The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle adapated from various versions including Katharine Briggs and Rumer Gooden The Recipe: Instant Pink Pi...

In which we discover that having long, strong hair doesn’t mean you can’t think for yourself, that you can learn a lot of incredible things from books, that parsley is both useful and tasty and that you should always remember to pack your acorns. The Tale: Petrosinella  The Recipe: Turkish Parsley & Onion Salad and Sort of Fattoush Salad If you would like to find more information about an...

In which we discover that even in the darkest of tales we can find some light, that boldness & curiosity can save lives, and that a pie can hold both wonders and terrors. The tales in this episode are traditional tales but contain some dark & violent themes. The tales in this tale are Mr Fox, Captain Murderer and The Rose-Tree The episode recipe is Leek, Cheese & Potato Pasties If you...

In which we find that clever beautiful women are always an asset, that a magical mother-in-law should not to be under-estimated, that a magical servant will always improve your day and cruel kings are more frequent than you might think. It is also wise to beware of hen-women and servants of the king. The episode recipe is Spaghetti al Olio E Aglio If you would like to find more information about a...

Hello everyone, This is a quick update to let you all know that I will be moving the podcast to monthly instead of every two weeks.  Sadly my day job now involves more commuting and I don't feel I can truly do the stories, the food history or the folklore enough justice in the time I now have to research and put everything together.  All the feedback I've had tells me that you'd rather h...

In which we discover that you shoudn’t judge your beloved by his looks especially if he’s a horse, that not being to provide a pancake on demand can prove fatal and that that there are times when listening to your sisters is not always wise. This week's tale is The Witch & The Horse Devil, a Turkish folktale adapted from the tale of a similar name from Forty-four Turkish Fairy Tales, by Ignácz...

In which we discover that you can still enjoy a story when the prince is clueless, that women you find in strange castles can have hidden talents and its amazing what you can whip up with a few almonds & some honey. The episode story is Beautiful Innocenta adapted from the story of the same name from The Robber with a Witch’s Head - More Stories from the Great Treasury of Sicilian Folk & F...

In which we discover that a bean is preferable to bran as a tracking device, that no matter how kind and generous you are, you can still end up in the belly of a shark and that you shouldn't put your trust in anyone who leads you into dark woods. This week's story is Maria and Her Brother adapted from Beautiful Angiola, The Lost Sicilian Folk & Fairy Tales collected by Laura Gonzenbach, transl...

In which we discover that a good heart is a very vauable commodity, the loss of a vine that provides excellent unlimited free wine can cause distress and that sometimes there is more than one beautiful maiden in a story but sometimes she's just a fox. We also learn how a killer migraine led an ancient Persian lady-in-waiting to the invention of wine, why we have wine goddesses and a mouthwatering...

This is another stories only episode. I hope they find you in the spirit they left me: gentle, heartwarming and uplifting, the last one is particularly seasonal. I thought this might be a time to take everybody on a journey safely away from our current reality. The stories in this episode are Food, Fire and Company, The Weardale Fairies and Room for a Little One.  The original stories can be...

In which we discover how much damage elves and curses can do, how even powerful beings can suffer and that mysterious housekeepers often have a hidden agenda.  In addition, we learn that if you have a useful magic stone you should always put it in your pyjama pockets whilst you sleep. Just in case. This week's story is Hildur, Queen of The Elves inspired by the tale of the same name from Nord...

Would you like to hear a winter tale or six?  I have put together a compilation of my December tales from last year so you can fully indulge in the spirit of winter.   The first tale is the Cailleach, a moving celtic mythic tale in which we discover how mountains were formed and what happens when winter goes on for too long. Our second tale is Morozko, a Russian wonder tale in which we d...

In which we discover that a Hand of Glory is not always the solution you might think it is, pretending to be asleep is sometimes the cleverest & bravest option and that its surprising what you can achieve with a bowful of milk. This week's story is The Hand of Glory inspired by the tale of the same name from The Book of English Folktales by Sybil Marshall. This week's recipe is Kheer   If...

In which we discover that marital problems can be resolved by supernatural means as long as you're not too picky about the outcome, that everyone loves Parkin and that you should never, ever bake when angry, especially when there are dragons about. The Recipe in this episode is Perfect Parkin The story in this episode is Billy Biter and the Round Parkin from Lost Folktales of the English Counties...

This is a bonus episode of an interview I did with Taffy Thomas MBE about his wonderful new treasury of food folk tales and recipes, beautifully illustrated by Dotty Kultys. We had a lovely conversation all about stories and food and if you want to find out all about this fantastic new book and listen to a true master of the storytelling craft including two stories he shared then this is the episo...

In which we discover that trees have a dark side, that they occasionally attack livestock and that they sometimes assist river spirits in sacrifice. We also learn that there can be hope in little things, that Grannies really do know everything and that divining the name of a future spouse can be trickier than you'd think. The Seasonal foods in this episode are Colcannon, Soul Cakes and Walnuts. Th...

In which we discover tricking the devil doesn't always work out well, that sometimes in tales there are more turnips than women and that frankly you can pretty much pickle anything. We also learn that tricking people into sacks can be a learning experience and that precious has a lot of definitions. We also examine the fascinating role of the turnip in history, medicine and folklore as well as its...

In this bonus episode I talk with Emma Kay about her new book The Dark History of Chocolate. Firstly, may I say that this is a fantastic book. I constantly alternated between being ashamed of ever eating chocolate to being seduced by the idea of this rich, darkly magical substance. I was left at the end not sure whether I could ever look a chocolate digestive in the face again and equally wanting...

In which we discover that last names are underrated, there are always worse mothers-in-law, and that horseradish can be a gateway to a better life. We also find that kindness, goodness and a close relationship with the King of Birds are an advantage in life. We also examine the fascinating role of horseradish in history, medicine and folklore as well as its contribution to the culinary arts. The s...

In these fractured times l wanted to look at how stories from different voices can overcome the the distance between people and highlight our  shared experiences. I interviewed five amazing storytellers and asked them all about breaking down barriers through stories and food and these are the results. Dave is not a traditional storyteller and had some different perspectives to share. The stor...

In  these fractured times l wanted to look at how stories from different  voices can overcome the the distance between people and highlight our shared experiences. I interviewed five amazing storytellers and asked  them all about breaking down barriers through stories and food and these are the results. The storyteller in this episode is the wonderful L M Daini and you can find her...