Best Oliveoil Podcasts (2024)

1
A Cheesemonger's Tour De France: History, Myths and Tastes 1:01:26

1h ago1:01:26

1:01:26

Cheese: A story of place and people. How is that cheese is so universal, yet so unique from one little place to the next few miles down the road? Ned went for an adventure all over France to find an answer on "what is French Cheese?" and "why do we love it so much?" while looking for the most representative cheeses that tell this story. Along the w…

1
Autumn Food Traditions Across Europe 42:09

6d ago42:09

42:09

Hello! Autumn! The weather's finally turning and it's time to prepare the pickles, preserves and chutneys with the abundance of summer harvest! But what did our ancestors do to prepare for the long cold, dark northern winter months ahead? How did they survive the scarce food resources of Europe's dormant nature? What traditions and superstitions pe…

1
Vegetarianism in the Ancient Greek and Roman World 40:27

13d ago40:27

40:27

Hello! Welcome back to another archaeogastronomical adventure! Today's episode is all about ancient vegetarianism. And the philosopher Pythagoras is the central figure on all the stuff we talk today. Pythagoras, the father of mathematics, was born and raised in Samos. around 580BCE. Even though Pythagoras spent more than forty years in his birthpla…

1
Love of Smoke and Fire: A Short History of Barbecue! 37:18

20d ago37:18

37:18

Hello! When did the word 'Barbecue' appeared in our language? As a technique it has been used under various guises from all humans, throughout the planet... This early appearance from 1709: I have been often in their Hunting-Quarters, where a roasted or barbakued Turkey, eaten with Bears Fat, is held a good Dish; Or this from 1707 "The Three Pigs o…

1
Knead To Know - A History of Baking 1:16:09

27d ago1:16:09

1:16:09

Have you ever wondered how common or rare the ovens once were? What was the original mince pie? And what was the first EVER bread humankind invented? Hello! Welcome back to another archaeogastronomical adventure! Today I have as a guest an old friend of the podcast; Dr Neil Buttery and we have a good long chat about his new book, all about baking! …

1
Vinegar - A Sweet and Sour History 34:40

1M ago34:40

34:40

What is with vinegar? Why it is so popular as an ingredient in our cooking? Why do we love the sour taste so much when mixed in our dishes? In the ancient Mediterranean vinegar was practically always made from wine, hence the epic epithet oininon oxos 'winy vinegar' employed by Archestratus. Vinegar is most often used as a culinary ingredient and a…

1
A Short History of Pickles, Vinegar and Fermentation 57:31

2M ago57:31

57:31

Hello! Pickled food through the ages and continents! We will go to the ancient lands of China, India, Mesopotamia, Greece, and Rome, and through them to Persia, the Arab world, Spain and Latin America! I think a history of civilization is a history of pickles, and fermentation! Without fermentation we wouldn't have beer, wine, cheese, miso, kimchi.…

1
Food in the Ancient Olympic Games 35:47

2M ago35:47

35:47

Hello! With the arrival of the Olympic Games in Paris, we have a reached a peak of reminders of the ancient Greek Olympic games and with them, a tonne of misinformation and misconceptions about the ancient Olympians! Well, the most important thing, was left out however from most of these articles; The food and the drink and the partying in Ancient …

1
China in Seven Banquets Part2 -An Interview with Thomas DuBois 48:56

2M ago48:56

48:56

Hello! Part two of our archaeogastronomical adventure is out! How the myth of Marco Polo bringing "pasta" back to Italy started? What's the truth behind it? What are the origins of tea and tea drinking ceremonies? How important are dairy products, milk and cheese in Chinese culinary history and what's the impact today? All this and a lot more on ou…

1
China in Seven Banquets Part1 -An Interview with Thomas DuBois 39:20

2M ago39:20

39:20

Hello! Excited to have as a guest Professor Thomas DuBois introducing us to his new book, an adventure through China's culinary history "China in Seven Banquets, A Flavourful History" , published by Reaktion Books: https://reaktionbooks.co.uk/work/china-in-seven-banquets You can purchase Professor Thomas DuBois book from many online shops like here…

1
The Culinary Treasures of Persia: Part Two 42:20

3M ago42:20

42:20

Enjoy a nearly three thousand year exploration of Persian food, culture and inventions that made our culinary pleasures, even more pleasurable! Info if you want to find out about yakhtchal, the ancient Persian refrigerators check here; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yakhch%C4%81l The Shahnameh (“Book of Kings”) By Ferdowsi -the Persian epic poem htt…

1
The Culinary Treasures of Persian Empire 37:05

3M ago37:05

37:05

An early fourteenth-century Baghdadi cookbook begins thus: “The pleasures of this world are six: food, drink, clothing, sex, scent, and sound. The most eminent and perfect of these is food, for food is the foundation of the body and the material of life.” What is a "rhyton"? What's a yakhtchal? And how is that Persian walled gardens are connected t…

1
Burmese Food Culture 1:07:40

3M ago1:07:40

1:07:40

Hello! Burmese food writer turned activist MiMi Aye has been raising awareness about the crisis in Myanmar since the coup in February 2021. MiMi’s award-winning book ‘MANDALAY: Recipes & Tales from a Burmese Kitchen’ is loved by Nigella Lawson and was chosen by The Observer, The FT, and The Mail on Sunday as one of their Best Books of 2019. MiMi al…

1
Medieval Table Manners and Food Hygiene 35:35

3M ago35:35

35:35

'Many other improprieties a good servant will avoid.’ ... Rules for health, hygiene and manners in Middle Ages... Yes! They existed. People were worried about manners, and food poisoning and etiquette. Yes people washed their hands before they sat on the table. And much, much more! Listen to todays fascinating episode! Voiceover on "The babees book…

1
Rice and the history of biryani; one dish that conquered the world! 30:44

4M ago30:44

30:44

Hello! Rice is a very ancient food…People ate rice perhaps from 12000 BCE gathered with other seeds and nuts. Today every third person on earth eats rice every day in one form or another. Rice is grown on about 250 million farms in 112 countries. But one dish more than any other, defines the global reach of rice and how it is claimed by many nation…

1
Myths and superstitions of tomato and potato's introduction in Greece and Europe 40:43

4M ago40:43

40:43

How old is a Greek salad? And how 'Greek' for that matter? Who introduced the potato to the Greeks? What other dark misunderstandings the introduction of the tomato and potato in Europe has?( and what's got to do with werewolves?) And finally some delightful tomato recipes from the Greek Cycladic Islands for your gastronomic enjoyment! Just to kick…

1
Tselementes - The father of modern Greek Cuisine 28:12

4M ago28:12

28:12

Hello! Nikolaos Tselementes. His name is what every Greek says when talking about cookbook. "Did you look at the Tselementes for your recipe"? Indeed when I was growing up i thought that a guide to cooking, or a book with recipes was called "Tselementes"! :-) On his death in 1958, the impression one is most likely to get from the statements of such…

1
Food of the Aztecs Pt2 34:37

4M ago34:37

34:37

Hello! Welcome to part two of our exploration of the foods of Aztecs. Corn, food of the Gods and humans. The ceremonial drink cacao and the alcoholic drink pulque All here. Plus the importance of the Florentine Codex, a document with descriptions of many native plants and animals and customs of the Aztecs. Here is the Florentine Codex, digital edit…

1
The Foodways of the Aztec Empire Pt1 26:18

5M ago26:18

26:18

Hello! Season 5, has landed! Episode one, part one is out and it's all about the amazing, delicious and perhaps unique foods and farming methods of the Aztecs, and the other indigenous people of Mesoamerica, the area that roughly today covers the country of Mexico, itself a massive area with many unique ecological niches and diverse nature. The foo…

1
History of Irish Food with Regina Sexton Pt2 1:29:24

5M ago1:29:24

1:29:24

Hello! Excite about Part2 of our Irish Food History! The Irish palette, is coarse like an oat cake. Fatty from butter and meat, and salty from preservation of food. What animal shaped the culture of Ireland more than any other? I'll give you a clue with this amazing myth and story. Táin Bó Cúailnge, the story of the cattle raid of Cooley! What's th…

1
A History of Food Culture in Ireland with Regina Sexton Part 1 43:58

5M ago43:58

43:58

Pomponius Mela, a Roman geographer, who hailed from the Roman province of Baetica (now Andalusia) in southern Spain writing in 43AD, he described the Ireland and Irish people as “a people wanting in every virtue, and totally destitute of piety”. And yet this country was so “luxuriant in grasses” that if cattle were “allowed to feed too long, they w…

1
A Short History of Ancient Mesopotamian Food (From the archives) 41:45

6M ago41:45

41:45

...Ninkasi, you are the one who pours out the filtered beer of the collector vat, It is (like) the onrush of the Tigris and the Euphrates. Hello! The lines above are from a brilliant Assyrian hymn to the Goddess of the brewing process: Ninkasi. Also a good set of instructions on how to make beer! Aside from beer, there are many other inventions tha…

1
The Cuisine of the Black Sea Greeks 30:00

6M ago30:00

30:00

Deep in a mountain in the Pontic Alps, North-East Turkey, there's a monastery reminiscent of Tolkien's Minas Tirith; the seven-walled fortress city built on the spur of a mountain. Nestled in a steep cliff at an altitude of about 1,200 metres (3,900 ft) and facing a beautiful wooded mountain valley is Panayia Soumela Greek Orthodox monastery, dedic…

1
A Feta Fetish: Towards a better feta cheese for all 41:07

6M ago41:07

41:07

Hello....! Who hasn't heard of feta cheese among us? Now I'm not saying that you necessary need to like it, but most of us know about this white, tangy & salty Greek cheese served with your Greek salad on your favourite holiday destination. But is the feta cheese we eat a "fait accompli"? (or feta accompli?) What is Sfella or "Feta of the Fire"? On…

1
From the archive: Traditional Easter Food in Orthodox Greece 27:44

6M ago27:44

27:44

Helloooooo...! Easter in UK and Western Europe (Catholic or otherwise) is nearly upon us! Traditionally the most important celebration of Christianity. On this episode from the archives, from April 2020, I'm re-publishing the episode about Eastern Orthodox Easter where I describe in some general terms what is happening during the Lent and Easter Su…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Oliveoil Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

1
The Delicious Legacy

The Delicious Legacy

1
Living Villa Cappelli

Paul Cappelli & Steven Crutchfield, discussing all things Italian: food, cu

1
A Cheesemonger's Tour De France: History, Myths and Tastes 1:01:26

1
Autumn Food Traditions Across Europe 42:09

1
Vegetarianism in the Ancient Greek and Roman World 40:27

1
Love of Smoke and Fire: A Short History of Barbecue! 37:18

1
Knead To Know - A History of Baking 1:16:09

1
Vinegar - A Sweet and Sour History 34:40

1
A Short History of Pickles, Vinegar and Fermentation 57:31

1
Food in the Ancient Olympic Games 35:47

1
China in Seven Banquets Part2 -An Interview with Thomas DuBois 48:56

1
China in Seven Banquets Part1 -An Interview with Thomas DuBois 39:20

1
The Culinary Treasures of Persia: Part Two 42:20

1
The Culinary Treasures of Persian Empire 37:05

1
Burmese Food Culture 1:07:40

1
Medieval Table Manners and Food Hygiene 35:35

1
Rice and the history of biryani; one dish that conquered the world! 30:44

1
Myths and superstitions of tomato and potato's introduction in Greece and Europe 40:43

1
Tselementes - The father of modern Greek Cuisine 28:12

1
Food of the Aztecs Pt2 34:37

1
The Foodways of the Aztec Empire Pt1 26:18

1
History of Irish Food with Regina Sexton Pt2 1:29:24

1
A History of Food Culture in Ireland with Regina Sexton Part 1 43:58

1
A Short History of Ancient Mesopotamian Food (From the archives) 41:45

1
The Cuisine of the Black Sea Greeks 30:00

1
A Feta Fetish: Towards a better feta cheese for all 41:07

1
From the archive: Traditional Easter Food in Orthodox Greece 27:44

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