Dr Neil Buttery
@neilbuttery.bsky.social
3.5K followers 130 following 980 posts
Award-winning* author, podcaster & cook of British food from the past. *Guild Food Writers Awards: 2023 Best First Book (A Dark History of Sugar); 2024 Best Food Book (Before Mrs Beeton)
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neilbuttery.bsky.social
I've just added the Zoom talk I gave a few months ago about the history and origins of baking to my YouTube channel.

It complements by book Knead to Know, published by Icon Books.

Enjoy!

youtu.be/m4bFeg9mAko?...
'Knead to Know' A talk about the history and origins of baking
YouTube video by The British Food History Channel
youtu.be
neilbuttery.bsky.social
ICYMI a new podcast episode dropped: Housekeepers & Butlers with food historian Peter Brears. It was great fun talking about this with him...his knowledge is unsurpassed!

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...
Housekeepers & Butlers with Peter Brears
Podcast Episode · The British Food History Podcast · 05/10/2025 · 43m
podcasts.apple.com
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Thank you!

I loved that chapter too. The first time I think I have read something that really describes how foraging really fit into people's daily lives.
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
chloelewis.bsky.social
Thinking, as I post these hedgerow berries, of Diane Purkiss' excellent chapter on foraging in her book 'English Food, a people's history' which she discusses in this interview with @neilbuttery.bsky.social:

share.google/HGx5VGPcM7Vb...

#WildFlowerHour
Hawthorn berries, foreground, bracken and a grass path leading to a grove of oak + hawthorn atop the iron age earthworks, Roborough Down, Dartmoor, Devon.
neilbuttery.bsky.social
We talk about the roles of the housekeeper & butler in the Victorian period & trace their histories to the Middle Ages. Also covered: orchestrating big meals, the preparation of boozy drinks, the stillroom & the pressures of preparing baked Alaska – amongst many other things.
neilbuttery.bsky.social
NEW PODCAST EPISODE ALERT!

Housekeepers & Butlers with Peter Brears, food historian & consultant to @nationaltrust.org.uk & @englishheritage.bsky.social

What a treat it was to speak to him face-to-face on this topic!

Available on all podcast platforms:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/h...
Housekeepers & Butlers with Peter Brears
Podcast Episode · The British Food History Podcast · 05/10/2025 · 43m
podcasts.apple.com
neilbuttery.bsky.social
All of us at Serve it Forth Food History Festival are so happy that the fantastic @nethertonfoundry.bsky.social are sponsoring the first fest!

Netherton Foundry are unique to the UK and all 4 of us love their cookware. Here's a sneak peek of our interview with them...
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Hello!

FYI Knead to Know: A History of Baking is now available as an audiobook narrated by some bloke called Neil Buttery.

Available on Spotify, Amazon Kindle etc.

Listen to a sample here:
youtu.be/5axUgRfMLNY?...
Knead to Know: A History of Baking by Neil Buttery · Audiobook preview
YouTube video by Google Play Books
youtu.be
neilbuttery.bsky.social
What flavour combinations or unusual ingredients have surprised you when cooking historical foods? Sam Bilton's was sugar in savoury foods.

Join
@mrssbilton.bsky.social
@deliciouslegacy.bsky.social
@alessandrapino.bsky.social & me

& our guests for @serveitforthfest.bsky.social on 18 Oct
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
serveitforthfest.bsky.social
Use the offer code SERVE25 at checkout to get 25% off the ticket price!

www.eventbrite.com/e/serve-it-f...
neilbuttery.bsky.social
It's only been 2 years but I have a cooked one of the stragglers from English Food by Jane Grigson.

It was delicious, it was the 447th recipe, it was ROAST SADDLE OF LAMB.

It also got the old team back team together + a few Grigson newbies!

neilcooksgrigson.com/2025/09/30/4...
#447 Roast Saddle of Lamb
It’s been two years since I last posted a recipe on here! I can only apologise. This recipe really should have been cooked long ago. There were two reasons I put it off: First, according to Jane, t…
neilcooksgrigson.com
neilbuttery.bsky.social
There's not long to go until @serveitforthfest.bsky.social on Oct 18th. It's all very exciting & we are working hard behind the scenes to make a really fun and interesting day.

Use the offer code SERVE25 at checkout to get 25% off the ticket price!

www.eventbrite.com/e/serve-it-f...
Serve it Forth Food History Festival 2025
Join us for Serve it Forth Food History Festival 2025 for a fantastic day of discussion, chat and learning about food history and traditions
www.eventbrite.com
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Remember The British Food History Podcast is now on You Tube & for the most recent episode, Worcester Porcelain with Paul Crane, I matched up images of the pieces we spoke about with the recording for a more immersive experience.

Enjoy!

youtu.be/pwZTaknI9mE?...
Worcester Porcelain with Paul Crane
YouTube video by The British Food History Channel
youtu.be
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Tidying the garage and found the old restaurant sign! Flip. Brings back memories.

@barnybri.bsky.social
neilbuttery.bsky.social
ICYMI The latest episide of The British Food History Podcast dropped in the week: Worcester Porcelain with world-leading porcelain expert Paul Crane.

It was recorded at the wonderful Museum ofRoyalWorcester & I learned alot!

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
neilbuttery.bsky.social
It was great to have you on!
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Get 25% off the ticket price at the @serveitforthfest.bsky.social on Oct 18th.

Use the offer code SERVE25 at the checkout.

More information about the event here: serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
dranniegray.bsky.social
Happy paperback release day to me!

This beauty is now out, and available in all good bookshops and also some which you really should avoid because, especially given the topic, your best bet is to toddle off to your (or someone else's) high street to shop at an actual shop.
A luscious paperback book sits on a stripy chair. The book is The Bookshop,The Draper, The Candlestick Maker: a history of the high street by Annie Gray. The cover features illustrated shops.
neilbuttery.bsky.social
We talk about Dr Wall and how he got the Worcester manufactory up and running, the importance of seeing porcelain by candlelight, asparagus servers, the Royal Lily service and how Worcester porcelain attained the Royal warrant, amongst any other things.
neilbuttery.bsky.social
The episode was recorded at the Museum of Royal Worcester, and we walk around the museum and talk about many of the pieces.

If you like, watch the episode on my YouTube channel to see the porcelain (and a few other things) matched with the sound as we talk about them.
youtu.be/pwZTaknI9mE?...
Worcester Porcelain with Paul Crane
YouTube video by The British Food History Channel
youtu.be
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Hot off the podcast press, a brand new episode of The British Food History Podcast: Worcester Porcelain with Paul Crane.
Paul is a world-leading porcelain expert and descendant of the creator of Worcester Porcelain Dr Wall.

Available on all podcast platforms: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
Worcester Porcelain with Paul Crane
Podcast Episode · The British Food History Podcast · 25/09/2025 · 46m
podcasts.apple.com