I need your comments, questions & queries for the upcoming postbag edition of The British Food History Podcast. Questions about any episode. Comments on how the season has gone. Queries on Food History in general. DM or email me neil@britishfoodhistory.com Deadline: 26 July!

We talk about the place of bakestones in British food culture, Welsh cakes, bannocks & pikelets, classic writers such as Bobby Freeman & F. Marion McNeill and the applied uses of bacon fat, amongst many other things.

In Wales I visited the amazing Felin Ganol & bought some of their Hen Gymru heritage flour (more on that later). They're one of the few remaining active watermills in Wales. The water level was too low to see it in action but I did see a full millpond at nearby Y Felin.

It's been ages since my foray into foraged foods so I'm a bit rusty, but it was lovely to see Welsh bilberries (delicious), sea kale and a very furry grass which LOOKS like it should be edible. Anyone know what it is?

In Wales I visited the excellent Castell Henllys Iron Age Village. Wonderful (& usable) saddle & rotary querns and oven, hearth with bakestone, plus grain store (on supports to reduce mould).

I'm very keen to bake more Welsh recipes. The Welsh cake is the king of the griddlecakes, and this beautifully dark bara brith I picked up from Aberystwyth Farmer's Market was to die for!

I've been on my hols in Wales this week - near Aberystwyth - I have of course eaten plenty of Welsh cakes, bara brith and laverbread, but most exciting thing for me what that the farmhouse we stayed in still had the original bread oven! Sadly it wasn't usable...

We talk about the tax on tea and the Boston Tea Party, tea alternatives, culinary activists such as the women of Edenton, giant independence cakes, Amelia Simmons, and how the people of the new USA used food and drink to culturally distance themselves from the British – amongst many other things.

Maureen Kilpatrick of Guard Archaeology on the most recent episode of The British Food History Podcast 'Food & Agriculture in Prehistoric & Medieval Scotland'. The full episode is on your favourite podcast app, YouTube & my blog: britishfoodhistory.com/2026/06/27/f...

A new acquisition! 18th century posset glass. It's so delicate that I dare not use it! I will though. I just need to pluck up the courage.

We talk about the material objects found on site, such as saddle querns, axes and ploughing tools, food remains like emmer wheat, barley, cockles and the indestructible hazelnut, non-slip pottery and the surprisingly late appearance of oats, amongst many other things.

Have you checked out the most recent episode of The British Food History Podcast yet? It's a really fun and fascinating one with Rachel Rich and @adamcrymble.bsky.social talking about feeding Kings George III & IV. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/f...

How did George III get his fresh fruit and veg? Check out this excerpt from the most recent episode of The British Food History Podcast, 'Feeding the Georgian Kings with @adamcrymble.bsky.social Crymble & Rachel Rich'. Full episode on all podcast apps. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/f...

We talk about the differing characters of Georges III & IV and how these were expressed in the foods they ate, Georgian food identity, the concept of oeconomy, exotic foods, French cuisine, as well as their fruit and veg suppliers, one of whom was called Savage Bear, amongst many other things.

Escaped the home office and went to see the walled gardens at Quarry Bank Mill this morning. I think the word is bountiful. Beautiful fruit and veg everywhere. Very fine and round globe artichokes, rhubarb forcing cloches, lush gooseberry and raspberry bushes. Inspiring stuff. Now back to work.

All 4 of my books are back in stock! Let me know if you would like a signed copy. Please DM me if you are interested in getting hold of one for you or a friend. Prices here: britishfoodhistory.com/books/

I'm really getting into the British ferments groove. This is a Northumbrian rye cake. 100% rye, the dough soured in the wooden bucket. It is by far the best rye bread I've ever eaten: so mouthwateringly flavoursome. Recipe coming...in 2027! Griddle by @nethertonfoundry.bsky.social

How can it be a week since the Guild of Food Writers Awards 2026!? As usual, I forgot to take pics...this is my only one. It was such a fab night hosted by Layla Kazim. It was also great to hang out with everyone. I was, it's fair to say, a little delicate the next morning.

We talk about how it got some of its collections, the ridiculous feast put on for James I by the Merchant Tailors, the importance of the author’s voice when it comes to writing cookery books, & Elizabeth David’s Fanny Cradock avoidance techniques, amongst many other things.

What an amazing treat & honour to be invited to Sudi Pigott's Northern launch for her fantastic & beautiful book Consider the Anchovy at the equally fantastic & beautiful Cartford Inn. When I had the hotpot with anchoïade I thought I'd died & gone to heaven. Thanks for having me!

Made a white bannock (aka Fancy Nancy in Northumbria) with soured/clabbered milk. Delicious spread with salted butter. (Griddle by @nethertonfoundry.bsky.social )

Deborah Albon on the treatment of wet nurses by society in the latest episide of The British Food History Podcast 'Children's Food with Deborah Albon and Amy Palmer'. Listen to the rest of the conversation on any podcast app. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...

In @aisforapplepod.bsky.social this week: @alessandrapino.bsky.social @mrssbilton.bsky.social and I discuss vegetables beginning with the letter C. The episode is available now wherever you get your podcasts & Sam's cauliflower breasts recipe is on the Substack. podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/s...

Poppy is helping me with my research. She is now an expert in Northumbrian griddlecakes.

We talk about the early years: the changing ideas about breastfeeding and wet nurses, the Victorian moralistic ideas surrounding withholding food, weaning, and children’s birthday parties, amongst many other things.

So I'm looking after this little wazzock all week...

It's elderflower season. I love them so much. This year I'm making elderflower gin and vinegar. There were a few left over heads so I also made elderflower flummery. Sadly it tore coming out of the mould. Tasted great though.

It was held at the beautiful and inspiring Omved Gardens who put on quite the spread & it was great to witness a Sandor Katz fermentation demo in actual person. Thanks Fermenter's Guild for asking me! 📷 credit: Elsa Pearl Photos

It was such an honour to lead the panel discussion 'How Fermentation Shapes Society & Culture’ at the Fermenter's Guild Symposium two weeks ago – it seems like the blink of an eye! Wonderful to meet Sandor Katz, Johnny Drain, Sam Cooper, Olia Hercules and Kenji Morimoto.

I contributed a short piece to this month's Countryfile Magazine history special about a few rather forgotten medieval vegetables. It was a really fun one to write too.