A look at one of the most loved and iconic shapes of all time and one of our favourite shapes to eat. From the history of the heart shape and its links to plants both sacred and extinct. To how it has become so entwined with the anatomy, metaphor and symbolism of the human heart, emotions of love. Points of discussion include Aristotle's History of Animals, Pierre Vinken's The Shape of the Heart, the Ficus religiosa, Le roman de la poire, The Master of the View of Saint Gudula, loads of heart-shaped foods, Yard Sale Pizza's Valentine's Day heart-shaped pizza, Neufchâtel, Sachertorte and the absolute legend that is Ralph Wiggum.
Read MoreThis week is the first in a series of episodes about foods, ingredients, different things that I couldn’t do without a series I’m calling: Smy Fundamentals. I will look at things that I use everyday, things I swear by, things that I’m constantly suggesting to people or…things that I share with people when they ask me, “what’s your secret for x, y or z?” First up!…is something I am so particular about, it’s the first thing I think about when I open my eyes and I have been drinking it for years, decades even!…this episode is all about….green tea! From some of the health benefits, history, Yamamotoyama and shortages. A look at chanoyu tea ceremonies, origins and the folklore of Shennong. Plus some ceramics and Japanese block prints by Nishimura Shigenaga, Torii Kiyohiro, Suzuki Harunobu and Utagawa Kuniyoshi plus a 21st century depiction of a tea ceremony by Emiko Aida.
Read MoreI'm back after quite the hiatus to share with you a bit about why I've been absent and the epiphany that led to my making a Galette des Rois and what makes this Twelfth Night/King Cake so special...and so tasty. I'll share my experience making one, a bit of the history behind it and the surprising treat buried within it. There's a look at my culinary bible Larousse Gastronomique and memories of the cousin to the Galette des Rois, the New Orleans Mardi Gras King Cake.
Read MoreGimme a break, gimme a break - break me off a piece of that Kit Kat bar….. it’s the food history and food art of the kit kat. My next episode will be followed up with a much deeper look at cacao.This episode is a bit of a departure as it’s the first time I have featured a brand. It was inspired by my dear friend Michiru and her recent gift of a pack of assorted Japanese Kit Kats and will start with original Kit Kats. From the 18th century savoury pies they share their name with, to their 100 year journey to being the most influential confectionery bar of all time. Their world domination includes Japan and the hundreds of Kit Kat varietals of gentei limited edition culture but it must also include an honest look at Nestle and “Corporate Social Responsibility”. There’s the Kit Kat portraits of old from Sir Godfrey Kneller and the “The New Kit-Cat Portraits” by Gloria and Mike of In the Long Run Designs; Kit Kat origami; a Kit Kat Coffee Table by design house den-Holm; a Chocnology exhibition and more.
Read MoreI’m so excited to share this episode on International Women’s Day! And it’s fitting that my guest today is not only one of the coolest women I have had the pleasure to meet, but she is also a sage and inspirational fountain of creativity, energy and talent. With this episode I’m going straight to my interview with today’s guest - Maddalena Ghezzi. Maddalena is a musician, singer, composer, artist and improviser. She has been working in the field of jazz, improvised and experimental music since moving to the UK in 2009 and her work draws inspiration from the natural world, literature, visual arts and the socio-political status of our world. Here we chat about her new release, Emeralds, which is a collaboration with synth player, composer, producer and pianist Maria Chiara Argirò. Emeralds is the latest in her Minerals series of EP releases done in collaboration with an other musicians. Maddie’s music is enigmatic, atmospheric and her compositions and voice will carry you to new places that feel both metaphysical and tangible at the same time. We chat about collaborations, composing, creativity, cuisine (new year baby polenta, chiavi della cucina, Dolomites and puzzone) and sci-fi!
Read MoreI chat with one of my dearest friends, award-winning writer and artist Kurt Cole Eidsvig. Kurt has been featured in The Boston Globe, The Improper Bostonian, NBC, CBS, and ABC and loads more prestigious places.
We will talk about his new book OxyContin for Breakfast, his previous book Pop X Poetry, his visual art, inspirations and how food factors in to all of the above. We will chat about his connection to apple cider vinegar, mint jelly omelettes, analogue vampiric beef binkies, Sully's snapper dogs and more. The first minute of audio is a wee bit tinny as we get set up but it features our first of many nods to Nance…. This episode is dedicated to Kurt’s mom Nancy Cole Landon who passed away last May at the age of 85.
You can listen to the podcast anywhere you get them or watch our interview here or on the Smy Goodness YouTube channel.
Read MoreVinegar depictions range from fanciful stories relating to it, appearances in still life paintings to the different stages of its production and enjoyment. Vinegar is a symbol of preservation, of hard work and longevity and being cleansed. It’s found in religious stories, fables, stories of love, war, money and death…basically all aspects of the human experience. Featuring artworks such as the Three Vinegar Tasters, Parody of the Vinegar Tasters, Elisabetta Sirani's painting Cleopatra and the story of Cleopatra's banquet, plague doctors' masks and Four Thief Vinegar, Tête Noire vinegar, Anne Vallayer-Coster's Still Life with Mackerel, Film Fawn/Merecedes and more.
Read MoreVinegar is a vital addition to popular dishes, condiments and beverages from around the world. It has as many uses outside of the kitchen as it does in it and is a staple ingredient of many natural or home remedies. There are countless health benefits that are associated with it and the varieties are endless - from bayberry, bamboo, black, brown and balsamic….and one that is famously described as with “the mother.” Today it’s all about the food history of vinegar - its important beginnings, fermentation, etymology, some of its many culinary and creative uses from all over the world. The next episode will be the accompanying, part 2 episode where I’ll discuss the food art of vinegar and cider vinegar plus a special chat with artist and poet Kurt Eidsvig about his work and his new book POP X POETRY.
Read MoreThis episode is part 4, or episode 38, and will look at some examples of my favourite artworks that depict or feature mushrooms…by artists including Ming dynasty Chinese artist Qiu Yang, Chinese-Canadian artist Xiaojing Yan, Beatrix Potter and Elsie Wakefield, Yayoi Kusama, Hine Mizushima, Wangechi Mutu and more. There will be a bit about the Game of Shrooms, the annual world-wide mushroom art N seek event created by Attaboy. There will even be a little bit of mushroom magic in film and music at the end with a note on the 2019 documentary film Fantastic Fungi and from the late Czech mushroom composer Vaclav Halek.
Read MorePart 3 - Mealtimes, Mental Health and Mindfulness with Karmen Perez-Pineda of Cats with a Heart of a four-part series on Mushrooms - Mystic, Magic and Mealtime
Mushroom culinary customs from around the world, mushroom tips, health benefits, how Psylocibin mushrooms are being used medicinally and at some of the past and present female pioneers behind psychedelics and psychiatrics. Plus I will chat with Karmen Perez-Pineda the founder of Cats with a Heart about mushrooms and her amazing socially responsible initiative which aims to raise awareness and funds to end child exploitation in the fashion industry.
Read MoreFungi Folklore - Part 2 of a four-part series on Mushrooms - Mystic, Magic and Mealtime
This series is inspired by Karmen Perez-Pineda, Founder of Cats with a Heart who will be interviewed in Part 3
Pt2:
The etymology, symbolism, folklore, magical properties and culinary traditions of mushrooms - that’s mystic, magic and mealtime mushrooms
Image: Fungi: twenty species, including the fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), death cap (Amanita phalloides) and Boletus and Agaricus species. Coloured lithograph by A. Cornillon, c. 1827, after Prieur.. Credit: Wellcome Collection. Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0)
Read MorePart 1 - Shamans and Shrooms of a four-part series on Mushrooms - Mystic, Magic and Mealtime
This series is inspired by Karmen Perez-Pineda, Founder of Cats with a Heart who will be interviewed in Part 3
Pt1:
Brief intro into the series
Mushroom synopsis
Ethnomycology & Shamanism & Cave Art
Aboriginal Gwion Gwion, Australia
Tassili n’Ajjer, Algeria
Pegtymel Petroglyphs in Far East Siberia in Russia
Mesoamerican society
María Sabina
Read MoreI am sharing and processing some of my thoughts and experiences of racism as a woman of colour.
Covering examples of racist imagery in food history and amazing representation, examples of racist imagery in art and amazing representation in art. Covering racial stereotypes, Ava DuVernay and the documentary 13th, Mixed Girl Meetup, Birth of a Nation, , fried chicken, watermelon, stereotypes, micro-aggressions, Sohla El-Waylly and Bon Appetit, MOFAD, Mona Chalabi, Mariya Russell, Kara Walker, Angela Davis and more.
Read MoreIn a special edition of Smy Goodness Podcast: Quarantine Catch-up 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 episode 5 Pancakes and Creativity which looked at the food history and food art relating to pancakes all whilst we chatted about creativity, similarities between cooking and design processes and how design affects the items that surround us in our kitchens and dining rooms and as we prepare and share our meals. 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!
Read MoreIn this episode 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! As Sophie mentions, the influence of pomegranates are akin to tentacles that have spread out across the world since our earliest times. You can find out loads more pomegranate food history and food art stories by listening to Smy Goodness Podcast Ep31 - Pomegranate - Superfood, Seeds, Symbolism and Stories.
Read MoreAcross the world and throughout myths, legends and religious texts pomegranates have been symbolic of wealth, fertility and good luck. The pomegranate has been a popular feature and motif in artworks, literature, ceremonies and culinary offerings from all over the world. A modern day superfood yes…but people throughout time and place have known of its health benefits. 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.
Read MoreExploring the historical links between food and fashion plus a chat with fashion designer and artist Emilio de la Morena. Emilio was my very first guest for Episode 1 which was all about quince and now he’s my latest guest for Episode 30! We discuss his latest creative endeavours as a painter; the fashion and food events we have been hosting and how food and fashion inspire us both. Connected since our earliest days as humans, we’ll also look at how 5000 year old Ötzi the Iceman changed how we think about prehistoric clothing. Plus we’ll look at food inspired creations from Elsa Schiaparelli, Margiela, Dries van Noten, Jeremy Scott for Moschino and Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel.
Read MoreThey 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. My guest Greg Weeks 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.
Read MoreHeat from the body can soften it making it more pliable and chewy. Chewy is a key word around its etymology. It’s a tree sap that is dried in the sun from only one place, the Greek island of Chios. It’s all about mastic, or mastiha in Greek or by its poetic name Tears of Chios. I’ll look at its history, rarity, value and its many uses. There's art by Émile Bayard, Elisabetta Duminuco and Clémentine Bal. Our guest Aristea Zougri of Althea Massage Therapy and Yoga has a myriad of skills and talents as a massage therapist, yoga practitioner with her own line of body oils. We chat about her career, holistic treatments, lots about the food of her native Greece and some of her mastiha memories.
Read MoreIt 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 - the first being…oranges, perhaps the second being whether you are actually into it or not and perhaps thirdly 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 Adams.
Read More
