Dr Neil Buttery
banner
neilbuttery.bsky.social
Dr Neil Buttery
@neilbuttery.bsky.social
Award-winning* author, podcaster & cook of British food from the past.

*Guild Food Writers Awards: 2023 Best First Book (A Dark History of Sugar); 2024 Best Food Book (Before Mrs Beeton)
Pinned
A snippet of my appearance on @skynewsrss.bsky.social talking about the history of mince pies for #mincepieday with chef Mark Richmond of Morrisons

It was such good fun. I'll upload the full clip soon!
This Thursday is the @serveitforthfest.bsky.social Christmas special with:
@alessandrapino.bsky.social
@mrssbilton.bsky.social
& me!

7pm - be there or be taken away by greedy goblins!

Tickets are £5 plus booking fee. Link: www.eventbrite.com/e/a-christma...
December 8, 2025 at 5:51 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
I recently consulted @kitchenwitchjb to find what cheese could tell me about my past, present and future. It was a truly fascinating experience.

Find out how @alessandrapino.bsky.social and I got on at the @serveitforthfest.bsky.social at A Christmas Feast of the Uncanny. Link in bio!
December 8, 2025 at 7:35 AM
Come to the @serveitforthfest.bsky.social Christmas special where @alessandrapino.bsky.social @mrssbilton.bsky.social and I will be delving into the dark side of Christmas food.

It's at 7pm on 11 December. Book here:

www.eventbrite.com/e/a-christma...
December 6, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
In the run up to Christmas you can get my fig tartlets recipe for FREE.

Based on a 15th-cent bake metes recipe.

Perfectly spiced and a little boozy.

Check out my shop for other ideas for medieval Christmas pastries.

buymeacoffee.com/monksmmc/e/49366
December 5, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
I was approached by @braciatrix.bsky.social a while back to help with recipes to tie in with the Porter Wars chapter of her book. More about those beers later in the week when I find out what exactly Trouble did with them, but I'm telling you now they are *not* based on actual historic beers! ...
December 1, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
I can highly recommend Dr B's 'The Philosophy of Puddings', which I read and thoroughly enjoyed earlier this year.

The other three titles are still on my wishlist, but I'm sure they're equally entertaining, informative and eye-opening.
Morning all!

FYI: all of my books are in stock if anyone wants signed copies for Christmas gifts this year.

A Dark History of Sugar (25% off) £15
Before Mrs Beeton £20
Knead to Know £12.99
The Philosophy of Puddings £10
+postage

DM or email [email protected]

Xxx
December 4, 2025 at 11:29 AM
This is the mince pie for the aficionado! A sweet mincemeat pie with lashings of lamb. Of all that I have tried, its my favourite mincemeat.

Don't knock it til you've tried it!

#mincepieday #mincepie #mincemeat #christmasfood #westmorland

britishfoodhistory.com/2023/12/20/w...
December 4, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
Postcard from my collection, sent 1912.
December 3, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
Join me on Patreon for some lovely extra bonus content like this!!!

www.patreon.com/posts/130997...
Ancient Greek Music with Pavlos Kapralos | The Delicious Legacy
Get more from The Delicious Legacy on Patreon
www.patreon.com
December 4, 2025 at 7:52 AM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
A snippet of my appearance on @skynewsrss.bsky.social talking about the history of mince pies for #mincepieday with chef Mark Richmond of Morrisons

It was such good fun. I'll upload the full clip soon!
November 22, 2025 at 7:29 PM
Morning all!

FYI: all of my books are in stock if anyone wants signed copies for Christmas gifts this year.

A Dark History of Sugar (25% off) £15
Before Mrs Beeton £20
Knead to Know £12.99
The Philosophy of Puddings £10
+postage

DM or email [email protected]

Xxx
December 4, 2025 at 10:43 AM
Every day should be mince pie day in my opinion. I love them, especially when the mincemeat is homemade AND meaty. Here's my podcast Christmas special from 2023 all about them.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/c...
Christmas Special 2023: Mince Pies
Podcast Episode · The British Food History Podcast · 20/12/2023 · 43m
podcasts.apple.com
December 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
Friends!! Join me Dec 7th from 4pm at @lmulligangrocer for PORTER WARS- book talk and beer tasting!!

We will be launching my collaboration brew with @beerfoodtravel.bsky.social & @troublebrewing.ie - two porters inspired by my chapter Porter Wars from Filthy Queens: A History of Beer in Ireland
November 29, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
I've made this recipe and they are delicious. Beautifully crunchy on the outside with a pillowy softness on the inside.
Mess up the roast potatoes on Christmas Day at your peril!

My advice is to get in a couple of practices before the big day. This is my foolproof method for super crunchy, super soft roasties. Good for any time of year, of course xx

britishfoodhistory.com/2024/12/16/m...
December 2, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Mess up the roast potatoes on Christmas Day at your peril!

My advice is to get in a couple of practices before the big day. This is my foolproof method for super crunchy, super soft roasties. Good for any time of year, of course xx

britishfoodhistory.com/2024/12/16/m...
December 2, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Join @mrssbilton.bsky.social , @alessandrapino.bsky.social & me on 11 Dec for a @serveitforthfest.bsky.social Christmas Special, looking at the dark side of Christmas food. I'll be focusing on the Xmas stories of Charles Dickens.

It's going to be great fun! www.eventbrite.com/e/a-christma...
December 1, 2025 at 5:35 PM
We're speeding towards Midwinter and it's already very chilly and miz. Here's a recipe from the blog archives to warm your cockles: Scáiltín, a hot, honeyed, milky whiskey drink from Ireland. It might be the best of the hot boozy drinks!

britishfoodhistory.com/2020/12/24/s...
Scáiltín (hot Irish milk punch)
Merry Christmas readers! It’s time for my annual Yuletide boozy drink recipe. This year Christmas is a very different one, of course, scaled back so much many of us are spending it on our own of th…
britishfoodhistory.com
December 1, 2025 at 11:14 AM
I have all 4 of my books in stock if anyone would like to purchase signed copies for Christmas gifts this year.

A Dark History of Sugar (25% off) £15
Before Mrs Beeton £20
Knead to Know £12.99
The Philosophy of Puddings £10
+postage

DM or email [email protected]

Xxx
November 30, 2025 at 3:03 PM
I took part in a TV programme on Channel 5 tonight: Royal Births, Marriages & Deaths. It's going to be on every week. Not sure which episodes I'm in but I *think* I might be in tonight's. It's on at 8.05pm if you fancy it. x
share.google/oiDYe65Gs8WM...
No access outside UK
share.google
November 29, 2025 at 6:51 PM
Another treat for my £3 subscribers: a recipe I have been working on for white pudding ice cream based on Gervase Markham's white pudding recipe. It's oaty, sweet and nicely spiced!

britishfoodhistory.com/2025/11/27/w...
White Pudding Ice Cream
Post by @neilbuttery.
britishfoodhistory.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
November 26, 2025 at 8:15 PM
I'm going to be looking at the food represented in Charles Dickens' Christmas stories for the @serveitforthfest.bsky.social Xmas spesh. There'll be - of course - A Christmas Carol but there'll be other, weirder tales too!

11 Dec & online. Book your ticket here: www.eventbrite.com/e/a-christma...
November 27, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Spotted in the Deansgate branch of @waterstones.bsky.social today: The Philosophy of Puddings by Yours Truly & Much Ado About Cooking by @mrssbilton.bsky.social !
November 27, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Whoa!

Before Mrs Beeton: Elizabeth Raffald, England's Most Influential Housekeeper is half RRP on Amazon at the moment.

Bargain.

And cheaper than I can buy from the publisher. I should stock up!
November 26, 2025 at 10:21 PM
Reposted by Dr Neil Buttery
BREAKING: It is with profound regret that the BBC announces its political editor Chris Mason has wanked himself into a coma
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 PM