History’s Greatest Dishes

Gooseberry Fool

Featuring just a handful of ingredients, gooseberry fool is among the simplest of all desserts – but also one of the most beloved. But what makes a fool a fool? Why does it owe its existence in equal measure to medieval kitchen gardens and the Victorian fad for enormous gooseberries? And why have its tart ingredients recently fallen from favour? In this episode of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray chart the story behind this simple classic. They explore how the fruit-and-cream dish earned its place on the modern dining table – and, along the way, delve into Britain’s obsession with giving sweet dishes the rudest of names. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ [https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Balti

From its roots in Birmingham’s south Asian communities in the 1970s to its meteoric rise to become one of Britain’s most popular curries, Balti marks a fusion between historical tradition and innovation. In this episode of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray journey back to the earliest days of south Asian cuisine in Britain to chart the origins of this vibrant, fragrant dish. Together they explore how migration, creativity and restaurant culture helped reshape Britain’s relationship with curry, and consider how Balti reflects both the blending and clashing of cultures. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ [https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Victoria Sponge

Light as air, this neat sandwich of cake, jam and cream is often seen as emblematic of British baking – but its story is richer and more complex than its simple ingredients might suggest. In this episode of History's Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray explore how an unassuming cake became a national icon. They chart its rise amid the 19th-century boom in baking technology and its later association with afternoon tea and the Women's Institute – and discuss how its ingredients reveal a darker side to the food industry. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ [https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Pizza

Think pizza has always been the ultimate crowd-pleaser? Think again. Before it became a global fast-food favourite, pizza was a humble Italian street food with a far more complicated backstory. In this episode of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray explore the rich (and occasionally controversial) history of pizza. From its simple origins on the bustling streets of Naples to its transformation into an international icon, they trace how migration and innovation turned a regional speciality into a worldwide obsession that has been endlessly reinvented – busting popular myths along the way. You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ [https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]

Blancmange

Welcome to History's Greatest Dishes – the series from HistoryExtra in which food historian Annie Gray chats with Emily Briffett about the origins of some of the most unusual, innovative and enduring delicacies. First on the menu is blancmange. For some people, the word conjures moments of horror from the school cafeteria. Yet, as Annie and Emily discuss in this episode, the original medieval recipe for a meat-and-milk dish enjoyed by the well-to-do is, if anything, even stranger to modern sensibilities. So what sparked its transformation from an elite treat to a mass-produced dessert? And what can this shift tell us about changes in social class, culinary technology – and our appetite for food that wobbles? You can listen ad-free to this episode and more by subscribing to HistoryExtra Plus here: https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/ [https://historyextra.supportingcast.fm/] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices [https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices]