In Episode 14 I get passionate about a particular type of pepper which was once so highly prized the Visigoths demand 3000lb of the stuff to leave Rome. Joining me to explore the history and usage of this spice are Giles Gasper, Professor of High Medieval History and Florence Swan from Durham University and food writer and author of Pepper, Christine McFadden

Don’t forget to check out the Comfortably Hungry Substack!

Useful Links

You can find Christine McFadden on Instagram and Facebook

Don’t forget to check out Christine’s book on Pepper

Blackfriars Restaurant in Newcastle where you will find details of their upcoming events and the Eat Medieval summer school

Professor Giles Gasper, Durham University

You can find Florence Swan on Instagram

Long pepper can be bought in the UK from Steenbergs and Seasoned Pioneers

Don’t forget to check out the episode on Anglo-Saxon food with historian Emma Kay.

Suggested Reading

* Forme of Cury

* Natural Histories - Pliny

* Apicius (this is just one of many translations)

* Le Menagier de Paris (or Goodman of Paris)

* Sir John Russell’s Book of Nurture

* Le Viander - Guilluame Tirrell

* John de Mandeville - Mandeville’s Travels

Don’t forget you can follow me on Instagram or Bluesky @mrssbilton or find out more about my work on sambilton.com.

A huge thank you to Thomas Ntinas of The Delicious Legacy for doing the sound mixing on this season of the podcast.

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