A food exploration plus a guest working in food, art, history and/or design. Each week will feature an ingredient, concept or issue relating to food and uncover origins, stories, artworks and innovations by looking at elements of food, art, history and design and how, why and where they intersect.
A look at one of the most loved and iconic shapes of all time and one of our favourite shapes to eat. From the history of the heart shape and its links to plants both sacred and extinct. To how it has become so entwined with the anatomy, metaphor and symbolism of the human heart, emotions of love. Points of discussion include Aristotle's History of Animals, Pierre Vinken's The Shape of the Heart, the Ficus religiosa, Le roman de la poire, The Master of the View of Saint Gudula, loads of heart-shaped foods, Yard Sale Pizza's Valentine's Day heart-shaped pizza, Neufchâtel, Sachertorte and the absolute legend that is Ralph Wiggum.
This week is the first in a series of episodes about foods, ingredients, different things that I couldn't do without a series I'm calling: Smy Fundamentals. I will look at things that I use everyday, things I swear by, things that I'm constantly suggesting to people or…things that I share with people when they ask me, “what's your secret for x, y or z?” First up!…is something I am so particular about, it's the first thing I think about when I open my eyes and I have been drinking it for years, decades even!…this episode is all about….green tea! From some of the health benefits, history, Yamamotoyama and shortages. A look at tea ceremonies, origins and the folklore of Shennong. Plus some ceramics and Japanese block prints by Nishimura Shigenaga, Torii Kiyohiro, Suzuki Harunobu and Utagawa Kuniyoshi plus a 21st century depiction of a tea ceremony by Emiko Aida.
I'm back after quite the hiatus to share with you a bit about why I've been absent and the epiphany that led to my making a Galette des Rois and what makes this Twelfth Night/King Cake so special...and so tasty. I'll share my experience making one, a bit of the history behind it and the surprising treat buried within it. There's a look at my culinary bible Larousse Gastronomique and memories of the cousin to the Galette des Rois, the New Orleans Mardi Gras King Cake.
Gimme a break, gimme a break - break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar - it's the food history and food art of the Kit Kat. My next episode will be followed up with a much deeper look at cacao. This episode is a bit of a departure as it's the first time I have featured a brand. It was inspired by my dear friend Michiru and her recent gift of a pack of assorted Japanese Kit Kats and will start with original Kit Kats. From the 18th century savoury pies they share their name with, to their 100 year journey to being the most influential confectionery bar of all time. Their world domination includes Japan and the hundreds of Kit Kat varietals of gentei limited edition culture but it must also include an honest look at Nestle and Corporate Social Responsibility. There's the Kit Kat portraits of old from Sir Godfrey Kneller and the The New Kit-Cat Portraits by Gloria and Mike of In the Long Run Designs Kit Kat origami; a Kit Kat Coffee Table by design house den-Holm; a Chocnology exhibition and more.
With this episode I'm going straight to my interview with today's guest - Maddalena Ghezzi. Maddalena is a musician, singer, composer, artist and improviser. She has been working in the field of jazz, improvised and experimental music since moving to the UK in 2009 and her work draws inspiration from the natural world, literature, visual arts and the socio-political status of our world. Here we chat about her new release, Emeralds, which is a collaboration with synth player, composer, producer and pianist Maria Chiara Argirò. Emeralds is the latest in her Minerals series of EP releases done in collaboration with an other musicians. Maddie's music is enigmatic, atmospheric and her compositions and voice will carry you to new places that feel both metaphysical and tangible at the same time. We chat about collaborations, composing, creativity, cuisine (new year baby polenta, chiavi della cucina, Dolomites and puzzone) and sci-fi!
I chat with one of my dearest friends, award-winning writer and artist Kurt Cole Eidsvig. Kurt has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Improper Bostonian, NBC, CBS, and ABC and loads more prestigious places. We will talk about his new book OxyContin for Breakfast, his previous book Pop X Poetry, his visual art, inspirations and how food factors in to all of the above. We will chat about his connection to apple cider vinegar, mint jelly omelettes, analogue vampiric beef binkies, Sully's snapper dogs and more. The first minute of audio is a wee bit tinny as we get set up but it features our first of many nods to Nance…. This episode is dedicated to Kurt's mom Nancy Cole Landon who passed away last May at the age of 85. You can listen to the podcast here, anywhere you get them or watch our interview on the Smy Goodness YouTube channel.
Vinegar depictions range from fanciful stories relating to it, appearances in still life paintings to the different stages of its production and enjoyment. Vinegar is a symbol of preservation, of hard work and longevity and being cleansed. It's found in religious stories, fables, stories of love, war, money and death…basically all aspects of the human experience. Featuring artworks such as the Three Vinegar Tasters, Parody of the Vinegar Tasters, Elisabetta Sirani's painting Cleopatra and the story of Cleopatra's banquet, plague doctors' masks and Four Thief Vinegar, Tête Noire vinegar, Anne Vallayer-Coster's Still Life with Mackerel, Film Fawn/Merecedes and more.
Vinegar is a vital addition to popular dishes, condiments and beverages from around the world. It has as many uses outside of the kitchen as it does in it and is a staple ingredient of many natural or home remedies. There are countless health benefits that are associated with it and the varieties are endless - from bayberry, bamboo, black, brown and balsamic and one that is famously described as with the mother. Today it's all about the food history of vinegar - its important beginnings, fermentation, etymology, some of its many culinary and creative uses from all over the world. The next episode will be the accompanying, part 2 episode where I'll discuss the food art of vinegar and cider vinegar plus a special chat with artist and poet Kurt Eidsvig about his work and his new book POP X POETRY.
I am sharing and processing some of my thoughts and experiences of racism as a woman of colour. Covering examples of racist imagery in food history and amazing representation, examples of racist imagery in art and amazing representation in art. Covering racial stereotypes, Ava DuVernay and the documentary 13th, Mixed Girl Meetup, Birth of a Nation, , fried chicken, watermelon, stereotypes, micro-aggressions, Sohla El-Waylly and Bon Appetit, MOFAD, Mariya Russell, Kara Walker, Angela Davis and more.
In a special edition of Smy Goodness Podcast - Quarantine Catch-up we chat with Aimée Furnival of Another Studio, the London design studio specialising in Plant Gifts and Playful Products. Aimée featured in the Smy Goodness Podcast Ep5 Pancakes and Creativity which looked at the food history and food art relating to pancakes all whilst we chatted about creativity, similarities between cooking and design processes and how design affects the items that surround us in our kitchens and dining rooms and as we prepare and share our meals. In this episode we chat to Aimée about her thoughts on Covid-19 and how it may have affected her business and cookery practices. Have a listen!
Across the world and throughout myths, legends and religious texts pomegranates have been symbolic of wealth, fertility and good luck. The pomegranate has been a popular feature and motif in artworks, literature, ceremonies and culinary offerings from all over the world. A modern day superfood yes…but people throughout time and place have known of its health benefits. From stories of Agdistis, Persephone, Roman Britain and Catherine of Aragon. With artworks from Giovanna Garzoni, Clara Peeters, Sandro Boticelli, Dante Gabriel Rosetti, Zaida Ben Yusuf, Sergei Parajanov and Katayoun Amjadi.
Exploring the historical links between food and fashion plus a chat with fashion designer and artist Emilio de la Morena. Emilio was my very first guest for Episode 1 which was all about quince and now he’s my latest guest for Episode 30! We discuss his latest creative endeavours as a painter; the fashion and food events we have been hosting and how food and fashion inspire us both. Connected since our earliest days as humans, we’ll also look at how 5000 year old Ötzi the Iceman changed how we think about prehistoric clothing. Plus we’ll look at food inspired creations from Elsa Schiaparelli, Margiela, Dries van Noten, Jeremy Scott for Moschino and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.
They are associated with luxury but historically this has not always been the case. They live in all oceans, yet I am partial and prejudiced to those from New England. Today it's the food history and food art of lobster. My guest Greg Weekes shares his insight and stories as a Cape Cod Lobsterman. Their form and colour have inspired artists throughout the ages. There's art from the Moche civilisation of Peru, Albrecht Durer, Claara Peeters, Anne Vallayer-Coster, Judith Sobel and Carrie Mae Weems.
Heat from the body can soften it making it more pliable and chewy. Chewy is a key word around its etymology. It’s a tree sap that is dried in the sun from only one place, the Greek island of Chios. It’s all about mastic, or mastiha in Greek or by it’s poetic name Tears of Chios. I’ll look at its history, rarity, value and its many uses. There's art by Émile Bayard, Elisabetta Duminuco and Clémentine Bal. Our guest Aristea Zougri of Althea Massage Therapy and Yoga has a myriad of skills and talents as a massage therapist, yoga practitioner with her own line of body oils. We chat about her career, holistic treatments, lots about the food of her native Greece and some of her mastiha memories.
"Marine Style" flask with octopus, Aegean Civilisation of Crete, the Late Minoan Bronze Age from c. 1500-1450 BC Throughout the world and throughout time, people and cultures have both revered and feared this eight-limbed, legendary Cephalopod - the octopus. We’ll look at the mythology and folklore of the octopus, their physiology and behaviour; which all strengthen their reputation as symbols of strength, intelligence and mystery. We’ll look at artworks by Japanese master Hokusai, resin artist Keng Lye, potter Tammy Garcia and illustrator Esther Van Hulsen. Plus I make takoyaki - round octopus pancake balls! Show Notes: 00:00-01:45 Intros 01:45-06:30 Octopus background history, myths, characteristics, origins, ancient history, 06:30-16:00 art, late minoan marine style flask, tammy garcia, Hokusai, Esther Van Hulsen, Keng Lye 16:00-19:15 Intelligence of the octopus, Octopolis, Octlantis, escape artists, anatomy, physiology, sex lives and child rearing 19:15-20:40 Jean Painleve octopus short films 20:40-25.25 Takoyaki and Michiru!!! 25:25-27:25 Closing 27:25-28:07 Cringey jingle Blackware pottery with octopus motifs by potter Tammy Garcia A block print depicting the folklore tale of Akkorokamui from Hokkiado, Japan, date and artist unknown Hokusai’s 1814 shunga print, its Japanese title is Tako to Ama, translated to English as Girl Diver and Octopuses and also widely known in English as Dream of the Fisherman's Wife from Shingu Gallery retouched singular image of Hokusai’s 1814 shunga print, Tako to Ama Octopuses as depicted by artist Utagawa Kuniyoshi from the story of Princess Tamatori and the Dragon King. Illustration by Esther van Hulsen made with ink extracted from a 95 million year old octopus fossil by paleontologist Jørn Hurum. The piece is exhibited together with the fossil in the Natural History Museum in Oslo, Norway. 95 million year old octopus fossil found in 2009 and it’s ink, extracted by paleontologist Jørn Hurum and then . The piece is exhibited together with the fossil in the Natural History Museum in Oslo, Norway. ink as used in Esther Van Hulsen’s octopus illustration as seen above. Singapore based artist Keng Lye’s resin and acrylic 3-D octopus on an enamel plate Takoyaki ingredients Cooked octopus Takoyaki - first batch I used the Japan Centre recipe for Takoyaki: Ingredients batter: 200g flour, 2 eggs , 450ml water, pinch of dashi stock fillings: 100g fresh boiled octopus, chopped , 1 bunch spring onion, chopped red pickled ginger , tempura flakes toppings: takoyaki sauce, japanese mayonnaise , aosa powdered seaweed (or aonori) , katsuobushi, bonito flakes How To Prepare 1. Start by creating the batter. Grab a large bowl and mix together 2 eggs, 200g of flour, 450ml of water and a little dashi stock. Set this aside. If you have the ready-made okonomiyaki flour, follow the directions for making the batter and you’re good to go. 2. Place your takoyaki plate on the gas stove on medium heat and heat up a small amount of oil in each hole. 3. Cut up your octopus into small pieces. Place a piece of octopus in each of the semi-circular holes, and then fill up each hole to the top with the batter mix. You can even overflow the batter out of the hole to make it easier to flip them later. 4. Now you can add the chopped spring onion, red pickled ginger and tempura flakes to each hole. The amount you add is up to you, but only a small amount of each will give enough flavour. 5. Once the takoyaki are about half cooked, about 1-2 minutes, you will need to flip them over. The best way to do this is to use a small wooden skewer to poke the outside of the batter and flip it over within the hole. This takes a bit of practice to get done smoothly so keep trying if you are making a mess. 6. You can usually only flip each takoyaki about three quarters of the way round so allow it to cook a little more before flipping it again. By now, all your takoyaki should be round so keep rotating them in the holes to make sure that they cook evenly on all sides. This will take about 3-4 minutes until golden brown on the outside. 7. Place a few takoyaki on a plate and smother them with loads of takoyaki sauce and Japanese mayonnaise. Then sprinkle a bit of powdered seaweed and some bonito flakes on top and enjoy. Allow to cool slightly and enjoy hot. Takoyaki - second batch Liguria Polpo salad Greco Octopus salad
Notes: 0 - 1.00: intros 1.00 - 9.35: Gooseberry history, etymology, pairings, Egton Bridge Gooseberry and world’s biggest gooseberry, banned in the USA, Enclosures Act 9.35 - 14.20 Still life paintings by Dutch artist Adriaen Coorte, landscape painting by British artist Isabel Naftel, contemporary painting by Indigenous Australian artist Kerry Madawyn McCarthy 14.20-16.30 Intro to Jimmy’s Festival 16.30 - 23.30 Snippets from my food demo at Jimmy’s Festival 23.30 - 25.11 Closing, thanks & cheesy jingle Pics of Paintings, Festival & Recipes below: I was thrilled to be invited to do a demonstration at the 2018 Jimmy’s Festival in Ipswich at Jimmy’s Farm. At Jimmy's Farm all year round you will find a working farm, wildlife park, adventure play, shops, gardens, a restaurant, a farm shop and butchery. For Jimmy's Festival, it's all of the above and amped up some more for their annual celebration of music & food on the Farm on 21st & 22nd July, 2018! My food demo was hosted by TV Presenter Joe Hurd who did such a fabulous job all festival and Hardeep Singh Kohli who was also giving one of his brilliant food demonstrations. More on the festival in a bit, for now here are some of the images relating to the history and art of gooseberries from of the podcast. The 1658 cookbook 'The Compleat Cook, Expertly Prescribing The Most Ready Wayes, Whether Italian, Spanish Or French, For Dressing Of Flesh And Fish, Ordering Of Sauces Or Making Of Pastry’ compiled by ‘WM' Bryan Nellist of the Egton Bridge Gooseberry Society with his world record heaviest gooseberry won in 2009, weighing in at 35 drams or roughly 62 grams. Scale of the loss of common land English Spray of Gooseberries on a Stone Plinth, 1700 Dutch artist Adriaen Coorte (ca. 1665 – after 1707) Still Life with Asparagus, a Spray of Gooseberries, A Bowl of Strawberries and Other Fruit in Niche, 1703 Dutch artist Adriaen Coorte (ca. 1665 – after 1707) The Old Gooseberry Garden, 1882 Isabel Naftel Gooseberries Kerry Madawyn McCarthy (1975 - present) Here are more pics from Jimmy's Festival: Gooseberry Gumbo500 g gooseberries* - topped and tailed 1 oranges - retain the zest and juice 2 lemon - retain the zest and juice 250g sugar 100g sultanas - roughly chopped 100g walnut - roughly chopped *all of the above can be adjusted to taste *or plums can be substituted for gooseberries Instructions 1. Put the gooseberries, citrus rinds and juices, sugar, walnuts and sultanas in a heavy pan. 2. Cook on medium-high heat for about 30 min or until the mixture is thick and the gooseberries are cooked and soft. 3. Continue simmering for another 10 minutes until the mixture is very thick. 4. Place in sterilised jars and lid. 5. Will keep for 6 months, best eaten within 3 months.
Orso Tosco, author of Aspettando i Naufraghi This episode it's the zucchini aka the courgette and their stunningly beautiful flowers. As my guest was Orso Tosco, the Italian author who has just published his novel, Aspettando I Naufraghi. For his topic Orso chose fiori di zucca or courgette/zucchini flowers as they feature in his novel and are one of his favourite dishes. As we will see there is a strong link between Italy and courgette flowers which will play out in our chat, the artwork covered in this episode and their interesting history. So listen above to find out about Orso's book, his process, food thoughts and memories; their earned reputation as symbols of the sensual and erotic, artwork from Arcimboldo, Giovanni de Udine, Georgia O'Keeffe and find out where courgette/zucchini come from, their travels around the world, how we get their beautiful flowers, and the myriad of ways that we can use them. Auntie Chrissie's courgette and flower Mercury, Giovanni da Udine from the Villa Farnesina, 1517. Mercury (detail), Giovanni da Udine from the Villa Farnesina, 1517. Estate, Guiseppe Arcimboldo, 1573. Vertumnus, Guiseppe Arcimboldo, 1590-1591 Squash Blossoms I, Georgia O'Keeffe, 1925 Squash Blossoms II, Georgia O'Keeffe, 1925 Squash Blossoms III, Georgia O'Keeffe, 1925 Fiori di zucca di ripieni made by Cristina Busnelli if Sanremo A few years back I decided to bundle all my interests together and rebrand from Smy Chutney to Smy Goodness so that all my preserves, crafts, products and workshops could live together in one place. My own podcast seemed a suitable place to uncover, understand and enjoy things related to food, art, history and design. Please do share your stories, knowledge, questions and suggestions. In the Smy Goodness.com podcast section you will find the podcasts and all the items that we are discussing and will have ongoing discussions about each week. SmyGoodness - Instagram SmyGoodness - Twitter SmyGoodness - Facebook SmyGoodness - Tumblr Thank you for listening.
This episode looks at where rhubarb came from and how it traveled the world. I look at the changes from how rhubarb was first used by humans to how it is enjoyed today. We'll learn about the etymology of rhubarb, the need for albarelli drug jars and then there's the utterly interesting link between rhubarb and the Zoroastrian creation myth. I'll share why the culinary tradition of Forced Rhubarb fully deserves its PDO status. Go to SmyGoodness.com to see the artworks I was inspired by including: Nikolai Astrup, Rubarb Mary Fedden, Still Life with Rhubarb Elizabeth Johnson, Elizabeth Johnson Art Glass LLC - www.elizabethjohnson.com I share some of the ways that I use rhubarb in my cookery and preserves, food photography and patterns. Smy Goodness Meringues with roasted rhubarb, rhubarb & strawberry print, jars of pickled rhubarb
At Christmas-time and New Year we drink more of it than ever and it seems perfectly acceptable to be cracking open bottles of bubbly before noon or anytime you have guests round. It’s also the perfect gift to bring round, a ribbon tied round the iconic bottle. Bubbly is a great aperitif, can finish off a meal, be paired with liqueurs or drank on its own. Those bubbles can go straight to ones head…and what starts as giddiness…quickly moves into tipsiness…which is sure to end in headache if one too many glasses are enjoyed. We have the Romans to thank for planting vineyards in the Champagne region of France. The roots of champagne being linked to big celebrations were when the first King of France, the warrior, Clovis was baptised and crowned in Reims Cathedral on Christmas day 496 AD and with Reims being in the province of Champagne it flowed freely to celebrate the coronation and from 898 onwards, all French kings were crowned in Reims. With their botanical gardens at hand and the focus and time to dedicate towards their efforts we have monks to thank for many world renowned gastric delights. These include cheeses, confectionaries, cordials and champagnes. For example Dom Perignon, one of the most famous champagne in the world, was started in the 17th century by monks. Marquis de Saint-Évremond brought and elevated champagne to London society whilst he was exiled there in 1661. Bubbles and champagne are synonymous now but it was after became popular in London that the bubbles would eventually become fixed. Up to then, the bubbles had sometimes appeared… and were more likely to appear in bottles that had been shipped to England and had had the fermentation process halted and started with changes in temperature which led to left over sugars which caused carbon dioxide gas to build and would cause the wine to bubble once opened. Once it was established how to ensure the bubbles in each and every bottle champagne really took off in popularity in the 18th c. and with the help and power of French champagne houses still familiar to us today such as Moët & Chandon, Louis Roederer, Piper-Heidsieck and Taittinger they established a product that would symbolise luxury, style and celebration throughout the world with the help of the Parisian artistic, creative and literary elite who were lapping up champagne and depicting it in their works and lifestyles. In the 20th c. the champagne houses took these fashionable associations and created marketing campaigns that revived drinking champagne as a must have for all celebrations, with a focus on Christmas and New Years Eve. Champagne is obviously protected as an item produced only in Champagne but there are other 'bubbly alternatives at generally a lower price point such as Cava from Spain, Prosecco from Italy and sparkling wine from anywhere. Generally champagne is often described as yeasty and sweet with biscuit or brioche notes whole Cava can have earther tones and prosecco has descriptors of sweet and crisp. Prosecco is now taking over the bubbly game with everyone wanting to get in on sharing bottles with each other on nights out, get togethers, parties, pubs and certainly at Christmas and New Years. Prosecco is cheaper than champagne, more fashionable than cava and on the path to continue it’s rise in sales an popularity. This is the last episode of this first series of the Smy Goodness Podcast which will be back for a second series in March. In the meantime you can follow me on Instagram, Twitter or my website smygoodness.com. Happy New Year and thanks for listening. A few years back I decided to bundle all my interests together and rebrand from Smy Chutney to Smy Goodness so that all my preserves, crafts, products and workshops could live together in one place. My own podcast seemed a suitable place to uncover, understand and enjoy things related to food, art, history and design. Please do share your stories, knowledge, questions and suggestions. In the Smy Goodness.com podcast section you will find the podcasts and all the items that we are discussing and will have ongoing discussions about each week. You can also follow Smy Goodness on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. I'd like to thank Ashley Palmer for use of his Roland R-09 and Matteo Borea for creating the music. Thank you for listening.
This mini-episode is just a little taster, chocolate will get a FULL ON episode in the future, here we are just focusing on Christmas chocolates such as chocolate coins, chocolate tins and trays. From its roots in South and Central America cacao has created joy and good tidings everywhere it has gone and we love to gift it, share it and gorge on it at Christmas. yougov.uk did a really snazzy poll this year to find out which chocolates were the favourites from the Roses, Quality Street, Celebrations and Heroes Christmas tubs. Comments unanimously denounced the size and quality of the sweets, the plastic tub which has replaced the tins, the moment that Cadbury’s succumbed to Kraft, the fallen sweets of yesteryear which have been retired and my favourite comment from 1984again - “Anyone who likes chocolate would not eat any of this stuff. It's not chocolate anymore.” Milk chocolate was invented in 1876. Chocolate is made from the seeds of the cacao plant native to Central and South America and was vital to the Maya and Aztec who used a raw bitter cacao drink ceremoniously in wedding, battle and burial rituals. It was not consumed by all but reserved by the elite. From the cacao tree we get the seeds or nuts which result in raw cacao power when the cocoa beans are un-roasted and cold-pressed. Cocoa powder has been roasted under high heat. Raw cacao powder is full of antioxidants,contains protein, calcium, carotene, thiamin, riboflavin, magnesium, and sulfur. high in valuable enzymes, can reduce blood pressure and chances of cardiovascular disease, can raise serotonin levels. Spanish Explorer Cortez brought back a recipe and the necessary equipment and had experimented with adding heat to the mixture to make it more palatable. Cacao was not an immediate success when it was introduced to Spain in the early 16th century… but once sugar was added to cocoa powder and served warm, it really took off and its benefits and its status as a drink of the wealthy and specifically a drink of Spain. Eventually warm cocoa spread to France and the rest of Europe and took over as a predecessor to tea and coffee-houses with wealthy men enjoying the custom of drinking hot cocoa at specific cafe-like houses where thy would discuss politics and current events. The industrial revolution improved grinding process and introduced additives which brought down the cost of cocoa and widened the audience of those who would enjoy it. In 1847 the world saw it’s first chocolate bar as chocolate went from being a drink to an edible food. Chocolate shaped like coins, wrapped in gold foil given to children and put in stockings at Christmas and given to children during Chanukah. This tradition also has links to the tradition of St Nicholas gifting gold to the poor as told in the Twelve Foods of Christmas orange episode. Chocolate manufacturers soon found an opportunity in Christmas chocolate selections that they could sell high price offerings that were popular amongst families who they would provide with an array of chocolates. Save
It's the mid point between Christmas and New Year…we might benefit from a break from the excesses. We can't go cold-turkey from the excesses of non-stop food and drink so a gin and tonic or a bit of sloe gin is a welcome comfort. The Sloe, or wild Plum, is the fruit of the Blackthorn found in the hedgerows. By autumn these small fruits are oval, blue-black and their sourness makes them perfect to cover with sugar and gin which by Christmas has formed into a perfectly luxurious holiday tipple, sloe gin. Cicely Mary Barker, The Sloe Fairy, Flower Fairy series c. 1927 The Sloe, or wild Plum, is the fruit of the Blackthorn found in the hedgerows. By autumn these small fruits are oval, blue-black and their sourness makes them perfect to cover with sugar and gin which by Christmas will have formed into a perfectly luxurious holiday tipple, sloe gin. Gin was invented in Holland around 1650 and it made it’s way to England not long after. Distilled from grain, it gets its name from the crushed juniper berries it passes through which are called genever in Dutch. Juniper berries have long been used medicinally with their cordials being renowned for their astringent, restorative and sustaining properties. They were even thrown on the floors of medieval homes so that when guests walked upon them the cracked juniper berries would emit their fragrant spice...a sort of applied pot pouri. Less than a hundred years from when it was invented, England found itself in the midst of an all-out gin craze. Gin was the first spirit produced in the industrial age and gin was incredibly inexpensive due to the fact that the government did not tax grain OR distillation. Sloe gin was known as the poor mans port' and adding sloes helped to cover the many unfortunate ingredients being added to it to make it even cheaper. The Gin acts changed legislation to try to curb the ‘gin craze.’ Charles Dickens loved gin and punches and there are many legends connecting his literary works and social habits and excursions. A few years back I decided to bundle all my interests together and rebrand from Smy Chutney to Smy Goodness so that all my preserves, crafts, products and workshops could live together in one place. My own podcast seemed a suitable place to uncover, understand and enjoy things related to food, art, history and design. Please do share your stories, knowledge, questions and suggestions. In the Smy Goodness.com podcast section you will find the podcasts and all the items that we are discussing and will have ongoing discussions about each week. You can also follow Smy Goodness on Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr. I'd like to thank Ashley Palmer for use of his Roland R-09 and Matteo Borea for creating the music. Thank you for listening. Save Save
How do you eat your chutney? What is your favourite cheese and chutney combination? Today’s Christmas food is chutney. Since the last 12 Foods of Christmas episode featured cheese, it would seem only fitting that we follow that up with chutney. I have often been asked by Spanish or Italian friends or customers what a chutney is. Chutney originated in India and has now become a staple condiment that has no standard recipe. Discoveries, capitalism and colonialism all contributed to chutneys and pickles making their way back to the UK and once here they were adapted and reproduced with local ingredients and over time a distinctly British chutney has emerged that is related to yet slightly different to the chutneys produced in India which are all so different and varied as the countless regional varieties existing now and throughout their culinary history. Mango chutneys were first imported from India to England and France in ceramic pots in the late 1600s. Recipes for “mangoed” fruits or vegetables began appearing in western cookbooks not long after their introduction. The love of chutneys and pickles soon spread across England with them quickly becoming part of the national foodscape. It’s loose recipe consists of capturing seasonal fruit and/or vegetables and preserving them with sweet and sour ingredients plus spices. Mango chutney is one of the most eaten preserves across the world. Chutney is about sustainability, preservation techniques, avoiding wastage and having access to the flavours of seasonal ingredients throughout the year. There is no set recipe and even if there was batches would often yield different results as fruits and vegetables vary widely from season to season based on the conditions they faced through out their growing season. Chutney has long been a pantry staple and in those pantries you were likely to find a wide variety of chutney from different crops, with different spicing and probably from different makers. Gifting chutney is a great way to show you care, share flavour combinations and also a way to get rid of the 25+ jars of pear chutney that this years glut has provided. Christmas is also a great time to enjoy chutney because it falls 3-5 months after so may fruits and vegetables have been in season, that’s 3-5 months for them to be infused with their spices so that they make that perfect accompaniment to meat, cheese and more. These foods that are shared and adapted and reinvented...this is exactly what I am trying to capture with Smy Goodness and this podcast. Just as ingredients, flavours, recipes and dishes have been adapted and adopted throughout time - this is still happening ALL OVER THE WORLD.
It’s a perfect symphony of seasonality. Many cheeses that we enjoy at Christmas have been made in the summer and are just coming in to peak maturity around the holidays. What’s your cheese? British classics or continental cheeses? Are you someone who goes for the cheese board rather than a pudding? Luckily at Christmas you can sample ALL the cheeses and all the puddings! It's a perfectly delicious puzzle when choosing ones post Christmas dinner plate of cheeses and pairing them with chutneys, crackers, sweet wines and ports. Floris van Dyck (c. 1575–1651) Still Life with Cheeses, c. 1615 Medieval illustration of cheese makers Save Save
In the 5 or 6 weeks prior to Christmas is when clementines, satsumas, manderins and tangerines come into season and join forces to dominate the fruit bowl. Their flavours and essences appear throughout our food, drink and traditions throughout Christmas. Find out about the roots and origins of oranges and the differences between the easy-peelers. We'll learn about St. Nicholas and why we put oranges in stockings with help of Gentile da Fabriano and his painting, Three Gold Balls. Three Gold Balls, Gentile da Fabriano’s ,1425. San Niccolo, Florence From the predella of the Quaratesi triptych Still Life with Oranges and Goblet of Wine (c. 1880-1890s, John Frederick Peto (1854 - 1907)
It has lots of the familiar spices we associate with Christmas infused together in warmed wine, spirits, fruit and sugar. Walk in to a party from the cold and serving mulled wine and you’ll know instantly as it saturates your sense of smell and warms you up as it fills your belly. Since pre-history we have found ways to drink fermented beverages and we owe thanks to the Greeks and the Romans for specifically bringing mulled wine to Northern Europe and throughout the world. We'll discuss Circe, her role in the Odyssey and with Odysseus will be discussed as well as her appearance in Gioacchino Assereto's painting Circe Mulling Wine. I share my own tips and recipe for mulled wine and more.
Goose - the squatted, more flavourful, dark meat alternative to their dry, white-melted fowl cousin the turkey. The custom and popularity of eating a goose during autumnal and winter harvest and holidays stretches from when they were domesticated by the Egyptians over 4000 years ago. This episode looks at traditions throughout the ages including the long-running Tavistock Goosey Fair, Michaelmas, the Smithfield's Market Christmas Eve Sale and the goose/turkey dynamic of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
It works sweet or savoury and can be oh-so overpowering if you let it. It’s not my favourite spice and is one that I use sparingly so that it doesn’t dominate a dish, but properly balanced, cinnamon brings warmth and depth of flavour to dishes all year round but particularly at Christmas. We'll look at its importance throughout the ancient world, how beneficial it is in terms of health and how it is only recently enjoyed by the masses. Artwork from 'Tractatus de Herbis' by Dioscorides, 15th century.
These small, round, bright-red berries are more tart than sweet which makes them a perfect accompaniment to roast meat and dinners bringing a nice bright dash of Christmas red to ones plate. This week we look at how these North American fruits have become part of Christmas, gained status as a superfood and the many ways they can be enjoyed throughout the holidays and year-round. Save
When I was little I was sure that someone with magical powers had shrunk cabbages into bite size portions. If you don’t think they taste delicious, you’re probably cooking them wrong! And if you’re just eating them at Christmas…well lots of people do but they deserve a place at the table beyond the Christmas holidays and sprouts are a £650,000,000 business with loads of varieties to try and inventive pairings and ways to prepare them. Artwork from Amedee Varin. Save
Mincemeat and mince pies are markers of Christmas. Mincemeat is the filling baked inside pies and they originally contained dried fruit, spices, vinegar and meat when they first appeared in the 15th century. There’s the old wives' tale that you should eat a mince pie on each of the 12 days of Christmas for good luck in the upcoming year...if I eat two per day will it bring me double the good luck next year? Listen for a brief look at the history, art and design of mincemeat.
This week I sat down with Tim Parker the Web Developer, Designer, DJ and host of the NTS radio programme You'll Soon Know. We discussed food and music memories, travel, design and how we approach and share all of the above. Before my chat with Tim I look at the history of plates from our pre-history days as humans and their quick evolution from functional pieces to decorative, artistic and even space exploring items. The work of Judy Chicago, Chloe Wise, Dr Amanda Furman's The Ascent of Woman, the Voyager Golden records and more are discussed.
Figs are one of the earliest if not our earliest cultivated plant. Their reverence surely stems from their historic connection to our own agricultural journey and they are a symbol of abundance and important to ancient peoples, cultures, art, cookery and religions. They are symbols of fertility, wealth, youth and the brevity of life. This episode will look at the Greek etymology behind 'sycophancy' and the Roman Apicius' recipe for fegato. Artists discussed include Giovanna Garzoni, Albrecht Durer, Clara Peeters, Suzanne Valadon, Vivienne Westwood and Figs in Wigs.
They occur all over the world in some shape or form - you might know them as ravioli, empanada, gyoza, fufu, piroges, tortellini - pastries filled with savoury meat and/or vegetables or even sweet versions filled with fruit. They can be steamed, boiled, broiled, baked or fried. This episode will focus on the Chinese dumpling, and look at how this ancient food is the epitome of a food so steeped in art, history and design that, when done properly, is a little edible works of art. I will focus specifically on jiaozi, guotie, zongzi and wonton dumplings and look at stories of the Silk Road, the Chinese physician Zhang Zhongjing, the poet Qu Yuan and how dumplings, family and festivals are always linked together. I will be talking with Tongtong (Tungtong) Ren and Peiran Gong - the owners and chefs of Chinese Laundry Room. We’ll discuss the originality behind both their restaurant and the path that has taken them from their native China to London. Art by Shaoqiang Chen, Qi Baishi, Yiying L and more.
Grapes are one of the first plants to be grown domestically by people and their cultivation cycle has been embedded deep within us. One only needs to look at the symbolic, religious and cultural importance of grapes to get a small fathoming of what they must have meant to the early peoples who first fermented them to what they mean across the world today. Since Ancient Greece artists have used grapes to show off their artistic skills by capturing the beauty held within both the individual grapes and as a whole bunch on their vines. Grapes are symbolic of harvests, abundance, fertility and luxury. Grapes feature in association with Dionysus, the Greek God and his Roman equivalent Bacchus, who were the both Gods of wine, vegetation, pleasure, festivity, madness and wild frenzy. We'll look at the art of Zeuxis, Juan Fernandez El Labrador, Louise Moillon, Luca Forte, Georgia O'Keeffe, Alfred Steiglitz and Grimanesa Amoros. Their impact cannot be downplayed; grapes are intertwined with humans as the vines that they grow on. An allegory to life and times of abundance and drought, hard work, establishing roots and pruning for the future, and just generally the beautiful outcomes of all of the above and the celebrations and things shared alongside it.
Show Notes: 0-2.30 - Episode Intro 2.30-7.30 - Ice cream, history and design 7.30-10.15 - Picasso, Axell, Burman - artists and ice cream depiction 10.15 - 57 - Tara Esperanza of T.O.I.C. interview 57-59 - episode closing comments This week it's ice cream! Listen above to hear how, why and when ice cream became the world-wide popular dish that it is is. Everyone has their own memories and preferences relating to this frozen treat that it delicious served with fruit, cake in a cone or on its own - I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream. We'll uncover where ice cream originated and how design helped it to go from a food reserved only for the wealthy elite to a food enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds all over the world. We'll look at artworks that celebrate this food that is so connected to our pleasure senses. I'll be looking at the artwork of Pablo Picasso, Evelyne Axell and Chila Kumari Burman. Tara Esperanza owner of TOIC Tara's Organic Ice Cream artwork by Tara Esperanza Picasso - Man with A Straw Hat and an Ice Cream, 1938 Evelyne Axell - Ice Cream, 1964 Agnes B Marshall, the Victorian culinary businesswoman aka "The Queen of Ices" (1855-1905) Alfred L. Cralle, African American businessman and inventor of the ice cream scoop and shaper(1866-1920) Chila Kumari Burman - Cornet and Screwballs go Vegas, mixed media, 2010 Tara Esperanza of Tara's Organic Ice Cream and I chatted about ice cream, food culture, memories, trends and the artistry of food. Tara and I go way back and her passion is such an inspiration as a friend, artist, woman and businessperson. You can find Tara’s Organic Ice Cream at their two California shops, one in Oakland and one in Berkeley. They have a loyal following owing to their ethos of organic, hand-crafted, quality and sustainability and their offering of over 173 flavours which are made with limited availability or seasonal ingredients. Smy Goodness 6 Pepper Jelly ice cream in a brownie bowl
This week I'll be looking at pancakes and chatting to Aimee Furnival, Founder and Director of Another Studio. Aimee and I made pancakes together, something we have done countless times. Pancakes are the popular breakfast food that are generally enjoyed on the weekend, at brunch or special occasions. It's always a special occasion to spend time with Aimee who is a truly wonderful friend and a creative inspiration. Over pancakes we chatted about design processes from start to finish and how creativity and design affects the items that surround us in our kitchens and dining rooms and as we prepare and share our meals. As well as special occasions pancakes have traditional links to many different religious holidays but their roots go back much farther than organised religion. This episode will look at how and why the flat, round pancake is universally enjoyed across the world in different variations and how this has been represented in art, history and design.
Diana Pinkett of Vegan Peasant Catering and I discuss how canapes, travelling, family and life have impacted on her everyday life and that of her and her partner Adrian Smith's 100% plant based catering company. Join us for that as well as a little exploration in to canapes and their evolution from ancient times to today. Where did they come from? How did they get their name? And how are they represented today throughout food, art, history and design.
This week it's all about the magical lemon and I sat down with comedian, chef, journalist, broadcaster and my dear friend Hardeep Singh Kohli to talk about his professional take on lemons. As usual in the interviews for the podcast, personal memories came to mind and as usual with Hardeep we had lots of laughs throughout our conversation.
Come and join me on a little cherry adventure! Throughout the ages cherries have been symbolic of life, love, rebirth, fertility, reproduction and sexuality. I was joined by visual artist, street photographer and dear friend Mike Wolff to discuss his work, creative inspirations and to reminisce about the Black Forest, Black Forest Cake and more.
I sat down with Emilio de la Morena to chat about quince, the fruit from antiquity resembling a pear/apple hybrid which has inspired cooks, artists and lovers. Emilio is the Creative Director at Emilio de la Morena, a fashion brand that designs and manufactures luxury womenswear. The aim of the podcast is to explore how food, art, history and design intersect. Born in Spain, Emilio studied at Central Saint Martins and the London College of Fashion; a Spanish artisan with a London aesthetic. It made perfect sense to kick off the podcast with a discussion of where quince originated, how it traveled the world, its uses and inspirations to us and others throughout the ages.
This podcast will look at food, history, art and design. How, why and where they intersect and the impact that they have had and have on our culture and experiences. Together we’ll travel the world throughout time and space to uncover tales, facts, people and objects that have shaped our everyday lives in ways we may not have realised.
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