Celebrating Elizabethan Cooking, with Sam Bilton

Celebrating Elizabethan Cooking, with Sam Bilton

What did people really eat in Shakespeare’s England? In her new book, Much Ado About Cooking, food historian Sam Bilton uncovers the vibrant and surprising world of early modern cuisine—where sugar was locked away like treasure, fresh salads were everyday fare, and a “banquet” meant a “post-feast after party” dessert course. Bilton brings to life the flavors behind Shakespeare’s food references: mince pies, herb-packed green sauces, saffron-brightened tarts, and even whimsical dishes crafted to look like something else entirely. These foods reveal a world shaped by global trade, humoral medicine, and a delight in spectacle. In this episode, Bilton discusses how cooking, dining, and food imagery can open a new window onto Shakespeare’s plays and the people who lived, ate, and celebrated in his time. From the Shakespeare Unlimited podcast. Published December 16, 2025. © Folger Shakespeare Library. All rights reserved. This episode was produced by Matt Frassica. Garland Scott is the executive producer. It was edited by Gail Kern Paster. We had help with web production from Paola García Acuña. Leonor Fernandez edits our transcripts. We had technical help from Hamish Brown in Stirling, Scotland, and Voice Trax West in Studio City, California. Final mixing services provided by Clean Cuts at Three Seas, Inc. Sam Bilton is a food historian, author and presenter of the award-winning “Comfortably Hungry” and “A is for Apple” podcasts. She has written books on the history of gingerbread, saffron and chocolate, and writes articles on food history for a variety of print and online publications. Sam has also hosted several Shakespeare-themed supper clubs over the years. You can find out more details about Sam on her website: sambilton.com.

Jaksot(298)

Why Shakespeare's Stories Still Resonate

Why Shakespeare's Stories Still Resonate

"I prithee speak to me as to thy thinkings," (Othello, 3.3.152) How do Shakespeare's works, written so long ago, still speak to us today? Just as actors and directors strive to work out this questio...

20 Maalis 201516min

Shakespeare LOL: All Mirth and No Matter

Shakespeare LOL: All Mirth and No Matter

"I was born to speak all mirth and no matter." (Much Ado About Nothing, 2.1.323) Let's face it: Modern audiences sometimes go from roaring with laughter to scratching their heads when it comes to enj...

20 Maalis 201527min

Shakespeare in Translation

Shakespeare in Translation

"Bless thee, Bottom, bless thee! Thou art translated!" (A Midsummer Night's Dream, 3.1.120-121) What happens when Shakespeare’s work is translated into foreign languages? Is it still Shakespeare? Or ...

20 Maalis 201524min

Punk Rock Shakespeare

Punk Rock Shakespeare

"Here will we sit and let the sounds of music / Creep in our ears" (The Merchant of Venice, 5.1.63-64) How can young people connect with Shakespeare? It's a question that confronts each generation. ...

20 Maalis 201514min

Shakespeare Outdoors

Shakespeare Outdoors

"Under the greenwood tree / Who loves to lie with me / And turn his merry note / Unto the sweet bird’s throat, / Come hither, come hither, come hither. / Here shall he see / No enemy / But winter and ...

20 Maalis 201531min

In Search of the Real Richard III

In Search of the Real Richard III

"I, that am rudely stamped..." (Richard III, 1.1.16) Shakespeare not only talked about his own times; he also wrote history plays that showed us the past—though it was a past filtered through the pol...

20 Maalis 201529min

Actresses on Shakespeare

Actresses on Shakespeare

"All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players." (As You Like It, 2.7.146-147) In Shakespeare's time, only men appeared on stage, with teenage boys playing the women's parts. Tod...

20 Maalis 201520min

The Robben Island Shakespeare

The Robben Island Shakespeare

While Nelson Mandela was incarcerated on South Africa's Robben Island, one of the other political prisoners managed to retain a copy of Shakespeare's complete works, which was secretly circulated thro...

20 Maalis 201518min

Suosittua kategoriassa Premium

nikotellen
anni-jaajo
tuplakaak
jaljilla
antin-matka
grekovit
hei-baby-3
maanantaimysteeri
sita
terveisia-perheesta
olipa-kerran-otsikko
murhan-anatomia
kaksi-aitia
palmujen-varjoissa
backmanholmavuo
siita-on-vaikea-puhua
i-dont-like-mondays
the-harlin-show
hupiklubi
ihan-oikeesti