Smy Goodness Podcast : Food History & Food Art

We chat with Aimée Furnival of Another Studio, the London design studio specialising in Plant Gifts & 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 similarities between cooking and design processes. 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!

I chat with Freelance Writer and Journalist Sophie Jean-Louis Constantine about her novel, writing process and food memories. We covered all sorts of topics - from Persephone to process, koliva to kites and ratatouille to reviews! The influence of pomegranates are akin to tentacles that have spread out across the world since our earliest times. Find out more pomegranate food history and food art stories from Ep31 - Pomegranate - Superfood, Seeds, Symbolism and Stories.

Across the world and its myths, legends and religious texts pomegranates have been symbolic of wealth, fertility and good luck. The pomegranate features in artworks, literature, ceremonies and culinary offerings from all over the world. An ancient and modern superfood 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.

Spanish fashion designer and artist Emilio de la Morena and I discuss connections and inspirations between fashion and food. We’ll look at food inspired creations from Elsa Schiaparelli, Margiela, Dries van Noten, Moschino, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel and more. Plus how 5000 year old Ötzi the Iceman changed how we think about prehistoric clothing.

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. 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. A resin from only one place, the Greek island of Chios. Mastic, or mastiha in Greek or by it’s poetic name Tears of Chios - its history, rarity, value and many uses. Art by Émile Bayard, Elisabetta Duminuco and Clémentine Bal. Guest Aristea Zougri of Althea Massage Therapy and Yoga is a talented massage therapist, yoga practitioner with a line os body oils. We chat career, food of her native Greece and her mastiha memories.

It can fluctuate from flavour profiles of bitter, tart, sweet and juicy…you can choose from thin or thick cut, even no cut! Thinking of it likely brings several things to mind - oranges, whether you are actually into it or not and perhaps Paddington Bear? This episode is going to look at marmalade and all the twists and turns of it’s origins, etymology and the great stories associated with it. With a look at the popular manga Marmalade boy by Wataru Yoshizumi and artwork from Canadian artist Sylvie Adam

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!

This ep looks at gooseberry history, etymology, historical pairings, slang, competitive gooseberry growing and the world’s record holder for biggest gooseberry. There's a look at the Enclosures Act and how they affected rural life in England. For art there are paintings by artists Adriaen Coorte, Isabel Naftel and Madawyn McCarthy. There are snippets recorded from my Gooseberry Gumbo food demo at Jimmy’s Festival w/hosts Joe Hurd and Hardeep Singh Kohli…don’t be a gooseberry and miss this one!

The zucchini or courgette and their stunningly beautiful flowers were the topic chosen by my guest Orso Tosco, Italian author of the novel, Aspettando I Naufraghi. We will see there is a strong link between Italy and courgette flowers, the artwork covered in this episode and their interesting history. Find out about Orso's book, his process, food thoughts and memories; sensual and erotic symbolism, artwork from Arcimboldo, Giovanni de Udine, Georgia O'Keeffe.

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. 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. I will share how I was inspired by the rhubarb inspired artworks by Nikolai Astrup, Mary Fedden, Elizabeth Johnson. I share some of the ways that I use rhubarb in my cookery and preserves.

At Christmas-time and New Year we drink more champagne, prosecco and cava than ever and it seems perfectly acceptable to be cracking open bottles of bubbly before noon. 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'll look at the roots of bubbly and how it became such a celebratory treat.

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.

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.

Capturing magic in a jar, sharing that with family and friends, creating new culinary moments and memories with family and friends and repeat. 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. So there we have it, will you be enjoying chutney this Christmas? What are your favourite flavours?