In this episode, we explore food places beginning with 'B.' Neil uncovers the buttery—not the hearty Scottish roll, but the traditional place where wine is stored. Allie dives into the origins and charm of the bistro, with its revolutionary roots where food and culture come together in cosy, intimate spaces. Meanwhile, Sam unwraps the story of Bourneville, where chocolate and community collide. 

Useful links and things mentioned in the episode

• Good Food by Ambrose Heath (1932)
• What the butler saw : two hundred and fifty years of the servant problem by E. S. Turner (2001) 
• Cooking & Dining in Tudor & Early Stuart England by Peter Brears (2015)
• Cooking & Dining in Medieval England by Peter Brears (2012)
• What’s in a Name?: Buttery by Neil Buttery (2016) British Food: A History blog
• The Invention of the Restaurant: Paris and Modern Gastronomic Culture by Rebecca L Spang (2000)
• A Bite Sized History of France: Gastronomic Tales of Revolution, War and Enlightenment by Stéphane Henaut and Jeni Mittchell (2018)
• The Bistro: French Food and the Culture of Place by Bertrand Auboyneau and François Simon (2018)
• French Provincial Cooking by Elizabeth David (1960)
• What is Olla Podrida? 
• A Siege of Paris ‘Menu’ 
• Cadbury World
• Bournville Village Trust
• Bournville Village Heritage Tour
• A Brief History of Birmingham 
• You can visit some examples of the city's Back-to-Backs run by the National Trust. 
• Sociable Cities: The Legacy of Ebenezer Howard by Peter Hall and Colin Ward (1998) Amb
• Ninety Years On: An Account of the Bournville Village Trust by Philip Henslowe (1984)
• To-morrow: A Peaceful Path to Real Reform by Ebenezer Howard (1898)

You can follow the A is for Apple Podcast on Instagram and X (Twitter).

Sam Bilton also hosts the Comfortably Hungry Podcast and is the author of First Catch Your Gingerbread, Fool’s Gold: A History of British Saffron and The Philosophy of Chocolate. You can find her on Instagram , X & Bsky. 

Dr Neil Buttery also hosts the British Food History Podcast and is the author of A Dark History of Sugar and Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald Britain’s Most Influential Housekeeper, The Philosophy of Chocolate, Knead to Know: A History of Baking You can find him on Instagram ,X & Bsky.

Dr Alessandra Pino hosts the Fear Feasts Podcast with Vanessa Baca and is the co-author of A Gothic Cookbook. You can find her on Instagram , X & Bsky.