Figs reverence surely stems from their historic connection to our own agricultural journey and they are a symbol of abundance and important to ancient peoples, cultures, art, cookery and religions. They are symbols of fertility, wealth, youth and the brevity of life. This episode will look at the Greek etymology behind 'sycophancy' and the Roman Apicius' recipe for fegato. Artists discussed include Giovanna Garzoni, Albrecht Durer, Clara Peeters, Suzanne Valadon, Vivienne Westwood and Figs in Wigs.
Read MoreEp8 - Dumplings with Peiran Gong and Tongtong Ren of Chinese Laundry Room
This episode will focus on the Chinese dumpling, and look at how this ancient food is the epitome of a food so steeped in art, history and design that, when done properly, is a little edible works of art. I will focus specifically on jiaozi, guotie, zongzi and wonton dumplings and look at stories of the Silk Road, the Chinese physician Zhang Zhongjing, the poet Qu Yuan and how dumplings, family and festivals are always linked together. Then I will be talking with Tongtong (Tungtong) Ren and Peiran Gong - the owners and chefs of Chinese Laundry Room. We’ll discuss the originality behind both their restaurant and the path that has taken them from their native China to London. Art by Shaoqiang Chen, Qi Baishi, Nishikie.com, Yiying L and more.
Read MoreEp7 - Bunches of Grapes
Grapes are one of the first plants to be grown domestically by people and this cultivation cycle . One only needs to look at the symbolic, religious and cultural importance of grapes to get a small fathoming of what they must have meant to the early peoples who first fermented them to what they mean across the world today. We'll also look at the art of Zeuxis, Juan Fernandez El Labrador, Louise Moillon, Luca Forte, Georgia O'Keeffe, Alfred Steiglitz and Grimanesa Amoros.
Read MoreEp6 - Ice Cream w/Tara Esperanza of T.O.I.C. - Tara's Organic Ice Cream
A look into the art, history and design of ice cream and celebrate this food that is so connected to our pleasure senses. Tara Esperanza of Tara's Organic Ice Cream and I chatted about ice cream, food culture, memories, trends and the artistry of food. You can find T.O.I.C. at their two California shops (Oakland & Berkeley) and an offering of over 173 flavours which are made with limited availability or seasonal ingredients.
Read MoreEp5 - Pancakes & Creativity w/Aimee Furnival of Another Studio
This week I'll be looking at pancakes and chatting to Aimee Furnival, Founder and Director of Another Studio. Another Studio is a craft-design practice creating original products for the desk, home and workplace. At the heart of their studio is the notion that a creative idea combined with playful material exploration will result in brilliant designs. Aimee and I made pancakes together and 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. This episode will look at how and why the flat, round pancake is universally enjoyed across the world in different variations and how this has been represented in art, history and design. There are artworks and stories from Rembrandt, Heironymous II, Tiger Tomato and stories of the first cookbook aimed at a medieval female audience and the background of the Aunt Jemima trademark.
Read MoreEp1 - Emilio de la Morena & Quince
I sat down with Emilio de la Morena to chat about quince, the fruit from antiquity resembling a pear/apple hybrid which has inspired cooks, artists and lovers. Emilio is the Creative Director at Emilio de la Morena, a fashion brand that designs and manufactures luxury womenswear. The aim of the podcast is to explore how food, art, history and design intersect. Born in Spain, Emilio studied at Central Saint Martins and the London College of Fashion; a Spanish artisan with a London aesthetic. It made perfect sense to kick off the podcast with a discussion of where quince originated, how it traveled the world, its uses and inspirations to us and others throughout the ages.
Read MoreEp0 - Introducing Smy Goodness Podcast
This podcast will look at food, history, art and design. How, why and where they intersect and the impact that they have had and have on our culture and experiences. Together we’ll travel the world throughout time and space to uncover tales, facts, people and objects that have shaped our everyday lives in ways we may not have realised.
Read More