A Curious Appetite with Dr Alessandra Pino

A podcast exploring gothic food, horror, and the culture of consumption.

In A Curious Appetite, Dr Alessandra Pino examines food not simply as something we consume, but as something that consumes us — shaping memory, identity, longing, and fear. From Gothic feasts to migrant kitchens, from childhood nostalgia to culinary reinvention, each episode traces the stories that linger at the table. Through conversation, the podcast asks what happens when appetite becomes a language for belonging, transformation, power, and desire.

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Friday · 31 min
Danny Robins: Ghosts for Dinner
What happens when food meets the supernatural? I am absolutely delighted to welcome Danny Robins, creator and presenter of the BBC's Uncanny and The Battersea Poltergeist, author of Into the Uncanny and Do You Believe in Ghosts?, and creator of 2:22 – A Ghost Story, to the latest episode of A Curious Appetite! From haunted kitchens and mysterious flying eggs to the unsettling power of everyday objects, we explore what happens when the familiar becomes frightening. We talk about food in ghost stories, the strange domestic details that make supernatural encounters so compelling, belief and scepticism, and why something as ordinary as a meal can become deeply uncanny. Danny even brings a seemingly innocent object to our conversation, but its terrifying story has me practically jumping out of my chair! Head over to the A Curious Appetite YouTube channel to see for yourselves. And, of course, we discuss 2:22 – A Ghost Story, including theunexpected significance of asparagus risotto. With the brand-new series of Uncanny now underway, and thetelevision adaptation of The Witch Farm to look forward to, there's plenty to be excited about in Danny's spooky world! If you'd like to explore the subject further, I've written an accompanying article on my Substack, which you can read at dralessandrapino.substack.com. You can also explore my Uncanny Food Database, where I investigate the strange and sometimes terrifying appearances of food in supernatural encounters, at www.alessandrapino.com. And there's more! On 1 December, my latest article, inspired by my conversation with Danny, will appear in Haunted Magazine. It will be the magazine's final issue, and we're going out with a bang! In the meantime, enjoy this conversation full of ghosts, laughter and spooky food stories! Artwork: @medusazzz Music: @manu_pino_1111 Audio mix: @thedeliciouslegacy
October 31 · 30 min
Horror D’Oeuvres: Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992) - Blood, Garlic & Forbidden Appetites
Horror is on the menu this Halloween! Welcome to Horror D’Oeuvres, a limited series from A Curious Appetite, where food historian Dr Alessandra Pino and chef and food writer Emiliano Amore explore the deliciously disturbing relationship between food and horror cinema. For our first course, we're sinking our teeth into Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992). From blood and corrupted communion to garlic, absinthe and the unsettling hospitality of Dracula's castle, we explore how food, drink and appetite become expressions of desire, seduction, power and monstrosity. Why does Dracula never eat with his guests? What makes garlic such a powerful weapon against vampires? And how does a glass of absinthe become an instrument of seduction? Along the way, Emiliano creates a dish inspired by the film, bringing its Gothic flavours from the screen to the table. Enjoy the full episode, including our film discussion and the accompanying recipe, on both Spotify and YouTube! A little something to feed your curiosity… and your appetite. Blackberry & Balsamic Crostini with Whipped Goat’s Cheese & Roasted Garlic A recipe by Emiliano Mora for Horror D’Oeuvres, A Curious Appetite, inspired by Francis Ford Coppola’s Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). 1 baguette, sliced into 1 cm rounds Extra virgin olive oil, for brushing 1 head of garlic 150 g soft goat’s cheese 75 g cream cheese (or double cream), softened Zest of 1 lemon Sea salt, to taste 150 g fresh blackberries 1 tbsp high-quality balsamic reduction, plus extra for drizzling 1 tsp sugar Fresh thyme sprigs or micro-basil, to garnish 1. Roast the garlic Preheat your oven to 190°C. Slice the top off the head of garlic horizontally to expose the cloves, drizzle with a little olive oil, wrap tightly in foil and roast for 35–40 minutes until soft and golden. Leave to cool slightly, then squeeze the roasted garlic pulp out of the skins. 2. Bake the crostini Lay the baguette slices on a baking tray, brush lightly with olive oil and bake at 190°C for 8–10 minutes until crisp and golden. 3. Whip the cheese Combine the goat’s cheese, cream cheese, roasted garlic pulp, lemon zest and a pinch of sea salt in a food processor. Blend until completely smooth, light and airy. 4. Prepare the crimson topping Place the fresh blackberries in a small bowl with the balsamic reduction and sugar. Lightly crush them with a fork to release their juices, then leave to macerate for 15 minutes. 5. Assemble Spread a generous layer of whipped garlic cheese onto each crispy crostino. Top with a spoonful of the dark, glossy blackberries, drizzle with a little more balsamic reduction and scatter with fresh thyme or micro-basil before serving. Short on time? Skip roasting the whole head of garlic and simply rub a peeled, raw garlic clove directly over the warm toasted bread for a quick garlic hit that keeps the vampires away just as well! Credits Design: @medusazzz Music: @manu_pino_1111 Audio: @TheDeliciousLegacy
October 14 · 42 min
Replica: Food, Art and Illusion
Replica: Food, Art and Illusion | With Loraine Senior and Christina Mellett-Smith What happens when food looks good enough to eat, but isn't edible at all? And can a replica preserve something that history would otherwise have lost? In this episode of A Curious Appetite, Dr Alessandra Pino is joined by Loraine Senior (also known as Loraine Krell) and Christina Mellett-Smith from Replica Ltd, specialists in creating extraordinarily realistic artificial food for museums, historic houses, film, television and exhibitions. We explore the fascinating art of food replication, from its connections to Japanese food displays to the challenges of recreating historical dishes using recipes, paintings and surviving kitchen equipment. Along the way, we discuss elaborate Tudor banquets, the spectacular culinary architecture of Carême and Francatelli, the importance of colour and translucency in creating convincing illusions, and the unexpectedly uncanny world of artificial food. We also consider what happens when food escapes its usual fate of being eaten or decomposing. Can a replica give lasting physical presence to something inherently ephemeral? And why do we sometimes find artificial food so irresistibly convincing, or even disturbing? Replica Ltd is also a proud sponsor of Serve It Forth Food History Festival 2026, taking place online on Saturday 17 October. During our conversation, we discuss why supporting the food-history community matters to Loraine and Christina, and how their work helps bring culinary history to life. Come along and join us for a day of fascinating talks, demonstrations and conversations about food history! Festival information: https://serveitforthfest.wixsite.com/info A video version of this episode will also be available on YouTube soon, so you'll be able to see some of Replica's incredible creations for yourself. Find out more about Replica Ltd: https://replica.co.uk/ A Curious Appetite Contact: acuriousappetite@gmail.com Artwork: @medusazzz Audio Production: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: @manu_pino_1111 Special thanks to Haints & Hollers Apothecary for their support of A Curious Appetite! They are generously offering our US listeners 10% off their teas with the discount code CURIOUS10. Visit https://haintsandhollersapothecary.com/ and enter CURIOUS10 at checkout to enjoy your discount. Offer valid for US customers only.
September 30 · 1 hr
Dr Tré Ventour-Griffiths: Saltfish and Sensibility
What histories do we carry in the food we cook, the stories we inherit and the places we call home? In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I’m joined by Dr Tré Ventour-Griffiths for a conversation that begins with his grandmother’s saltfish fritters and takes us through Caribbean family memory, migration, haunted landscapes and Jane Austen. We explore how food connects us with generations we never knew, the lost futures imagined by Caribbean migrants, and the histories of enslavement and empire that remain present in Britain’s country houses and cultural institutions. We also discuss Sanditon, Georgiana Lambe and “Pineapplegate”, asking what contemporary period dramas reveal, or leave unexamined, about colonial wealth. Tré closes the episode with a reading from his creative research on Delapré Abbey, bringing together landscape, haunting and the knowledge carried through families. My warmest thanks to Tré for such a thoughtful and generous conversation. Read the accompanying article, references and further reading on my Substack: https://dralessandrapino.substack.com Find more of Tré’s writing: https://substack.com/@avidpedestrian With thanks to Sage at Haints and Hollers Apothecary for supporting A Curious Appetite. Discover handcrafted tea blends inspired by folklore, horror and the strange: https://haintsandhollersapothecary.com Instagram: @haintsandhollersapothecary Thank you, as always, to the brilliant people who help bring this podcast to life: Artwork: Claudia Del Fiacco Audio editing and mixing: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: Manuel Pino Hosted by Dr Alessandra Pino. Contact: acuriousappetite@gmail.com If you enjoyed this conversation, please follow the podcast, leave a rating or share it with someone who might enjoy listening. Thank you for being here and staying curious about what’s on your plate.
September 16 · 58 min
Flossy Phillips: The Texture of Tripe
The Texture of Tripe is a bit of a punch to the gut, in the best possible way. In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I’m joined by Flossy (Flora Phillips) for a gloriously gutsy conversation about offal, butchery, art, appetite and why organs can inspireequal parts fascination, pleasure and disgust. Naturally, we start on a slightly spooky foot. You’ll see what I mean. There are prophetic artworks, strange signs of things to come and a Charming Baker calf already marked out in butcher’s cuts, longbefore Flossy swapped the art world for butchery. Although perhaps the writing was already on the wall: she had been cooking and eating offal since she was eleven. From there, we get straight to the guts of it. Why do organs make some of us recoil while others positively salivate? Why can liver, heart, tripe and blood move so easily between comfort food, culinaryluxury and the downright disgusting? We talk about the curious ways we distance ourselves from the animals we eat, why a highly processed food can sometimes feel less confronting than a recognisable organ, and what our reactions to meatmight reveal about class, culture, memory, taste and the stories we tell ourselves about what is acceptable to put in our mouths. Along the way, Dark Food, Mary Douglas,Sidney Mintz, Ian Miller’s The Anatomy of Disgust and ClaudeLévi-Strauss’s Culinary Triangle all find their way onto the butcher’s block. The conversation continues beyond the podcasttoo. An accompanying article drawing on this interview, and going further into Flossy’s work, offal, blood, butchery and the strange cultural life of guts, is published with GUTS magazine. We also talk about the sensory pleasures of cooking and eating offal, some of Flossy’s favourite London places to doexactly that, and possibly my favourite image from the whole conversation: Flossy heading to the cricket at The Oval with a pot of leftover tripe, because frankly, why settle for a sandwich? We also get into blood, abattoirs, food regulation, disappearing skills and what we risk losing when small-scale systems of slaughter and production vanish. Offal has an image problem. This episode askswhat happens when we stop looking away. Useful links • Charming Baker • Alessandra Pino, Dark Food • Gelsey Kirkland, Dancing on My Grave • Mary Douglas, Purity and Danger (1966), including her work on pollution • Sidney Mintz, Sweetness and Power (1985), particularly the separation and distance between sites of production and consumption • Ian Miller, The Anatomy of Disgust (1998) • Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1747) • Claude Lévi-Strauss, The Culinary Triangle (1966) • Diego Velázquez, Las Meninas • Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey (2026) • Alessandra Pino and Ella Buchan, A Gothic Cookbook (2026) • Kate Ryan, Blood, Guts and Black Pudding (2026), referred to during the discussion about blood, abattoirs and food safety • Polentina • St. JOHN • Camille • Bouchon Racine • Future Food Week, Vienna Credits Contact: acuriousappetite@gmail.com Artwork: @medusazzz Audio Production: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: @manu_pino_1111
August 21 · 39 min
The Canal as Archive: Reading Robert Aickman's The River Runs Uphill
In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I’m joined by Dr Dan O’Brien to talk about Robert Aickman’s The River Runs Uphill, cultural memory, Britain’s waterways and some of the ideas currently shaping our research for The River Remembers: A Gothic Voyage through Forgotten Histories of the Thames. Originally released for paid subscribers, this conversation is now open to everyone. Best known for his strange and unsettling fiction, Robert Aickman was also a committed conservationist who helped establish the Inland Waterways Association in 1946. His lifelong campaign to preserve Britain’s canals provides a fascinating counterpart to his literary interest in overlooked places, lingering histories and things that resist disappearance. Dan and I discuss the difference between rivers and canals, and what happens when we begin to think of waterways as repositories of human experience. Canals carry histories of engineering and labour as well as water, while the communities that once worked and lived around them can disappear even when the physical landscape survives. We also explore mudlarking and the Thames as an unruly kind of archive: one governed by tides, chance and material fragments rather than catalogues and classifications. Dan shares the extraordinary story of finding an object thought to be part of a mammoth’s tooth, a discovery that stretches the history of the Thames far beyond London itself. Our conversation also considers the more difficult aspects of reading Aickman today, including passages that reflect exclusionary attitudes towards race. Rather than ignoring these moments or allowing them to overwhelm the rest of the work, we ask what responsible reading might look like and whose histories have traditionally been preserved, celebrated or left out. The River Runs Uphill becomes a way of thinking about attention itself: how landscapes hold memories of labour, migration, trade, industry, leisure and loss, and how easily ordinary lives can disappear when nobody stops to notice them. Robert Aickman beyond the strange story The Inland Waterways Association and canal conservation Rivers, canals and cultural memory Waterways as archives of labour and everyday life Mudlarking, chance and historical discovery A mammoth tooth and the deep history of the Thames Heritage, preservation and the stories we choose to remember Reading difficult historical texts critically The ideas feeding into The River Remembers Featured book: Robert Aickman, The River Runs Uphill Have you read Aickman, or has a book ever unexpectedly changed the way you look at a familiar landscape?
S1 · E9
June 24 · 48 min
Niki Gorick: Secret Feasts and the City- London Life Through the Lens
How do you photograph a city that never stands still? In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I am joined by photographer and author Niki Gorick, whose work has documented London's hidden ceremonies, docklands, working communities, and riverside traditions for more than twenty-five years. Beginning with her early fascination for storytelling and inspired by photographers including Henri Cartier-Bresson and Antony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon), Niki reflects on how photography became her way of preserving fleeting moments before they disappear forever. Together we explore photography as cultural memory, the hidden rituals that continue to shape the City of London, and why food remains central to some of Britain's oldest surviving ceremonies. From medieval guilds and lavish civic banquets to Swan Upping on the River Thames, the conversation uncovers a London that most people never encounter. Along the way, we discuss the philosophy of documentary photography, London's remarkable charitable traditions, the changing relationship between people and wildlife, and the challenge of preserving living heritage within a constantly changing city. Through photography, food history, London's hidden traditions, and cultural memory, this episode opens the door to a side of the city that few people ever have the chance to experience. Further reading and resources Learn more about Niki Gorick's work and current projects: Niki Gorick Photography Dock Life at the Cutty Sark, Royal Museums Greenwich Niki Gorick's Dock Life is currently on display at Cutty Sark, part of Royal Museums Greenwich, where her contemporary photographs are presented alongside images and stories from the museum's archive, creating a dialogue between London's docklands past and present. Explore the photographers who inspired Niki: Henri Cartier-Bresson – the pioneering documentary photographer best known for the concept of the decisive moment. Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson | Magnum Photos Archive Antony Armstrong-Jones (Lord Snowdon) – celebrated portrait and theatre photographer. National Portrait Gallery Collection Find out more about London's ceremonial traditions: City of London Corporation The Lord Mayor's Show The Livery Committee St Bride's Church, Fleet Street (home of the annual Bubble Service discussed in this episode) Discover more about Swan Upping and London's relationship with the River Thames: The Royal Family – Swan Upping The Worshipful Company of Vintners The Worshipful Company of Dyers Royal Museums Greenwich Canal & River Trust Photography resources mentioned during the conversation: Sony Alpha Cameras Nikon UK Adobe Camera RAW Guide Niki's books: Dock Life Renewed: How London's Docks Are Thriving Again Faith in the City of London Contact: ⁠acuriousappetite@gmail.com⁠ Artwork: @medusazzz Audio Production: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: @manu_pino_1111
June 10 · 36 min
Dr Sam Hirst on Singing for Supper: William Linley in Regency Britain
In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I am joined by Gothic scholar, educator, and founder of Romancing the Gothic, Dr Sam Hirst, to explore the remarkable travel journal Summer Rambles in 1825 by the musician and traveller William Linley. Drawing on Sam's work transcribing and annotating the manuscript at Newstead Abbey, we journey through Regency England in the company of one of its most observant and entertaining diarists. We discuss Linley's connections to the world of music and theatre, his possible links to Lord Byron, and his fascinating visit to Newstead Abbey, Byron's former home. Sam reflects on discovering the diary in the Newstead archives and explains why Linley's candid observations, social commentary, and frequent complaints make him such an engaging narrator. Food features throughout our conversation. We examine what Linley's diary reveals about Regency hospitality, travel, and dining, from breakfasts and suppers to pickled onions, delayed fish deliveries, cold fowl, ham, and "badly dressed eels." Together we consider how food functioned as a marker of status, comfort, and sociability, and how complaints about meals often reveal just as much as descriptions of them. Our discussion also returns to Newstead Abbey, where Sam shares insights from his work marking the bicentenary of Byron's death. We explore Byron's complicated relationship with dancing, the scandalous reputation of the waltz, the role of music within the house, and the ways Newstead has been reinterpreted for modern visitors. The conversation then turns eastwards as Sam reflects on living and working in Kazan, Russia, a city shaped by Russian, Tatar, Muslim, Orthodox Christian, and Jewish traditions. We discuss how experiencing different cultures transformed his perspective as a historian and researcher, encouraging a deeper appreciation of nuance, complexity, and the dangers of simplistic historical narratives. Naturally, food accompanies us on this journey. Sam shares memories of Russian, Tatar, and Central Asian cuisines, including plov, triangular meat-and-potato pastries, sour cream, cottage cheese, and the extraordinary hospitality he encountered around family tables. We also discuss nostalgia, migration, and the foods we continue to long for long after we have left a place behind. Along the way we talk about: William Linley and Regency musical culture Byron, Newstead Abbey, and the waltz Hospitality and social performance in the Regency period Food, travel, and complaint as historical evidence Manuscript transcription and archival detective work Russia, Tatarstan, and cultural diversity Plov, pastries, hospitality, and food nostalgia Why complexity is often more interesting than certainty Whether you're interested in Byron, Regency travel, food history, archives, or the pleasures of a well-kept diary, this episode offers a fascinating glimpse into the people, meals, friendships, and journeys that shaped life in the early nineteenth century. Learn more about Dr Sam Hirst's work, courses, and events at Romancing the Gothic. The platform brings together readers, writers, and researchers interested in the Gothic, Romanticism, folklore, and literary history. Interested in Byron and Newstead Abbey? Read Dr Sam Hirst's article, "Byron's Letters Reveal the Real Queer Love and Loss That Inspired His Poetry," which explores Byron's relationship with John Edleston and the emotional experiences reflected in his letters and verse. Artwork: @medusazzz Audio Production: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: @manu_pino_1111
S1 · E7
May 27 · 39 min
Nina Atesh: Dining with the Devil
What happens when history itself becomes a magic trick? In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I am joined by writer, director, and Artistic Director of Pither Productions, Nina Atesh, to discuss In League with the Devil, her fascinating new play inspired by the extraordinary life of Erik Jan Hanussen: illusionist, clairvoyant, celebrity showman, fraudster, political opportunist, and one of the most enigmatic figures of twentieth-century Europe. Together we explore the challenges of researching a man who spent his life reinventing himself, blurring the boundaries between fact, fiction, performance, and belief. We discuss historical truth, psychological horror, charismatic manipulators, cults, scammers, influencers, and why audiences continue to be drawn towards certainty, spectacle, and the promise of hidden knowledge. We also delve into the theatrical process behind the production, including Nina's collaboration with legendary illusionist Simon Drake and mind reader Graham Jolley, whose work helped recreate some of Hanussen's techniques on stage. Along the way we discuss theatre-making, pub theatre culture, the changing economics of performance, and the enduring magic of gathering together in a room to experience a story unfold in real time. Because this is still A Curious Appetite, we also talk food memories, childhood kitchens, Cypriot family meals, smoky bacon crisps, Sunday roasts, and the surprising connections between cooking and theatre. Both rely on ritual, timing, community, and a little bit of everyday magic. We also touch upon horror theatre, GrimFest, Kim Newman, creative collaboration, and the strange power of performance to make us believe, if only for a moment, in something impossible. Erik Jan Hanussen Illusion, magic, and performance Historical research and unreliable sources Psychological horror and theatrical storytelling Cult leaders, scammers, and charisma Simon Drake and stage illusion Graham Jolley and mind reading Pither Productions and GrimFest Kim Newman and horror culture Pub theatre and creative communities Cyprus, Canada, and England Food memories and family kitchens Smoky bacon crisps Theatre, ritual, and belief Special thanks to Nina Atesh, Simon Drake, Graham Jolley, Kim Newman, and everyone at Pither Productions for their generosity, creativity, and for helping bring one of the most intriguing theatrical projects I have encountered in recent years to life. Hosted by Dr Alessandra Pino. A podcast exploring how food shapes memory, identity, longing, fear, culture, and storytelling. 📩 Contact: acuriousappetite@gmail.com Artwork: @medusazzz Audio Production: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: @manu_pino_1111 Useful Links Pither Productions GrimFest London Horror Theatre Festival Simon Drake's House of Magic
May 13 · 30 min
Dorothy Barrick: Feeding the Frame- The Art of Food in Film
What kind of job requires you to carry knives, toothpicks, pastry brushes, chopping boards, glycerine spray, and sometimes half a kitchen in the back of your car? Food styling. In this episode of A Curious Appetite with Dr Alessandra Pino, I’m joined by Dorothy Barrick, known as Dot, a food stylist and home economist whose work brings food to life on screen in ways that are often invisible, but absolutely essential. We talk about what it really means to work behind the scenes on film sets, from preparing edible props to understanding how food behaves under lights, heat, pressure, and repetition. A dish might need to look fresh for hours. It might need to be eaten repeatedly by an actor. It might need to appear identical across multiple takes. And sometimes it needs to do something stranger altogether, like ooze, collapse, bleed, or stand in for something else entirely. I first came across Dot’s work through The Radleys (2024), based on Matt Haig’s novel, where food becomes part of the film’s unsettling emotional atmosphere. We explore how food on screen creates mood, reveals character, and shapes tension, especially in horror and uncanny cinema. We also discuss: • Working on The Roses with Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch • Nicholas Hoult’s enthusiastic eating on The Great • Horror food styling and beautifully grotesque visual tricks • Cooked watermelon used as tuna sashimi • Pear standing in for delicate raw fish • Continuity, repetition, and the pressure of keeping food camera-ready • Fashion, colour, design, and food as visual storytelling We also spend time discussing Babette’s Feast, one of the great films about food, grief, memory, and transformation. Dot reflects beautifully on the meditative power of baking and how repetitive, intricate culinary tasks can help us process difficult moments and sit quietly with ourselves. And of course, because this is A Curious Appetite, we end with food memories: childhood casseroles, the horror of beef tongue, oysters, whelks, seafood towers, and the foods that stay with us. This episode is a deep dive into the mysterious, meticulous, and often under-credited world of food on film. Because next time you watch a scene and think “that food looks incredible,” it is worth asking: who made it look that way? Useful links: Dorothy Barrick / @dotscookin Cherry Bombe interview with Dorothy Barrick and Olivia Colman Fear Feasts podcast episode on The Radleys A Curious Appetite Substack 📧 acuriousappetite@gmail.com 🎧 Available now on all major podcast platforms. Artwork by @medusazzz Audio by @thedeliciouslegacy Music by @manu_pino_1111
S1 · E5
April 29 · 55 min
Richard Crampton-Platt: Pasta and Prejudice
This episode was not sponsored by Greggs. But it begins with a sausage roll! I’m joined by Richard Crampton-Platt (you might know him as @thegreedydick). We talk about chicken rolls and why they disappoint. Raw chicken sushi and what “safe” really means. Why Britain trusts takeaways and Italy doesn’t. Food delivery and what it reveals about how we live. The myth of pizza margherita. Carbonara, cream, and the illusion of authenticity. Food smuggling, migration, and adaptation. And why food feels different from art or music. It starts light It turns philosophical And somewhere along the way it becomes about trust. Because food is the one thing we choose to put inside our bodies. And that always says more than we think. Read more on Substack https://substack.com/@dralessandrapino Email: acuriousappetite@gmail.com Artwork by @medusazzz Audio by @thedeliciouslegacy Music by @manu_pino_1111 Useful links and references Richard Crampton-Platt’s writing, videos and restaurant commentary can be found via The Greedy Dick on Substack and his wider online platforms. Café Britaly, Peckham Richard discusses founding Café Britaly, a British-Italian café in Peckham, and its playful approach to “Britalian” food, including carbonara with cream and a fried egg. Bocca di Lupo, Soho Richard talks about working at Bocca di Lupo, the regional Italian restaurant in Soho, which helped shape his understanding of Italian food and food history. Britalian food and Italian cafés in Britain Topics include British-Italian greasy spoons, post-war Italian café culture in London, and the blending of British and Italian food traditions. Greggs sausage rolls Richard mentions Greggs expanding its sausage roll range, including pork, vegan and chicken sausage rolls. Bovril The conversation touches on Bovril, Bovril on toast, Bovril as stock, Bovril in Arctic contexts, and its role in British food memory. Claude Lévi-Strauss, “The Culinary Triangle” Discussed in relation to broth, boiling, food preparation and social bonding. Sidney Mintz- Sweetness and Power (1985) Mentioned in relation to industrialisation, sugar, work, pleasure and modern eating habits. Fellini’s Satyricon / Trimalchio’s feast Richard discusses Fellini’s strange, uncanny representation of Roman feasting, excess and food spectacle. Carbonara and authenticity The episode explores carbonara as a contested dish, including cream, pancetta, guanciale, egg, authenticity and cultural negotiation. Zuppa Inglese Mentioned as an Italian dessert whose name translates as “English soup”, and as an example of Anglo-Italian culinary overlap. Fagioli all’uccelletto Mentioned in relation to beans, sage and their transformation within a British breakfast context. Full English breakfast and global variations The conversation touches on full English breakfasts, British breakfast culture, and variations such as full Turkish, full Greek and other cultural reinterpretations. A Full English on Pizza? La Cucina Italiana Richard mentions looking through La Cucina Italiana for elaborate celebratory dishes, including timbales. Le Gavroche and the Roux family Discussed in relation to French food in Britain, ingredient sourcing and the challenges of early fine dining in the UK. Delivery food and food trust The episode compares British and Italian attitudes to takeaway, delivery apps, trust, ingredients and food safety. Food safety, industrialisation and adulteration Topics include adulterated bread, chalk, alum, salmonella fears, raw chicken in Japan, and different cultural attitudes to risk. Mussolini, rural fantasy and Italian food nostalgia Richard mentions the darker historical roots of certain romanticised images of rural Italian food culture. A is for Apple: Bovril episode Alessandra mentions having discussed Bovril previously on A is for Apple.
S1 · E4
April 15 · 30 min
Emiliano Amore: On Love for the Liminal Larder
In this episode, I speak with chef and writer Emiliano Amore, who writes Britalian on Substack, about migration, identity, adaptation, and what he beautifully calls “the liminal larder” that space between cultures where Branston pickle meets pecorino, cheddar finds its way into lasagna, and food becomes a language of belonging. Born in Rome and now based in England, his work emerges directly from this in-between space. We talk about Britalian identity, culinary stereotypes, emotional ingredients, recipes as memory, and the idea that adaptation is not compromise but a form of becoming. Throughout, we return to the idea that food carries emotional weight, that it holds memory, longing, and the quiet traces of where we have been and who we are becoming. I can’t tell you how much I loved this conversation with Emiliano. It is a rich, thoughtful exploration of home, appetite, and the stories we tell through what we eat. Read more on my Substack https://substack.com/@dralessandrapino Artwork by @medusazzz Audio by @thedeliciouslegacy Music by @manu_pino_1111 Useful links/references ⁠Emiliano's substack⁠ an online cookbook and writing project exploring Italian and British food cultures Lou Taylor, artist Russell Norman, award-winning restaurateur associated with Polpo and Brutto, often linked to the idea of Britalian cooking styles M. F. K. Fisher, American food writer exploring food, desire, memory, and identity Panikos Panayi, Spicing Up Britain, a study of migration and the transformation of British food culture Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1747), an influential British cookbook including early references to pasta such as vermicelli and macaroni The Grand Tour, eighteenth-century travel tradition through which British elites encountered Italian culture, art, and food The eighteenth-century “macaronis”, British dandies returning from the Grand Tour associated with cosmopolitan taste and Italian influence Pier Paolo Pasolini, Italian writer and filmmaker associated with representations of marginal, subcultural Italy Anna Magnani, Italian actress emblematic of a raw, authentic Italian cultural identity Cesare Pavese, Italian writer exploring themes of place, identity, and modernity Vivienne Westwood, British designer representing alternative and subcultural British identity Nigel Slater, British food writer known for intimate, domestic, and reflective food writing Fleabag, British television series exploring contemporary identity and emotional life St John, London restaurant known for nose-to-tail cooking and the use of offal in British cuisine
April 8 · 59 sec
A is for Apple Podcast is back with Season C
A is for Apple is back with a brand new season. I’m delighted to share that Season C has officially begun. Hosted by me Dr Alessandra Pino, alongside Sam Bilton and Dr Neil Buttery, the podcast returns with more curious ingredients, unexpected histories, and playful explorations of food through the alphabet. https://podcasts.apple.com/it/podcast/s3e1-c-is-for-carbonado-carrot-cabinet-pudding/id1743840806?i=1000756719333
S1 · E3
April 1 · 34 min
Dr Dan O'Brien: Death at the Table
What do we eat around death? What has food meant at funerals in the past? And why does something as small as a biscuit carry so much emotional and symbolic weight? In this episode of A Curious Appetite, I’m joined by death historian Dr Dan O’Brien to explore funerary food, mourning rituals, and the deeply human ways food helps us navigate loss. Dan’s research focuses on the undertaking trade in eighteenth century England, and together we uncover how food has shaped grief, memory, and remembrance. We discuss the fragile afterlife of the funeral biscuit wrapper, a small piece of paper that outlives the food it once held. Funeral biscuits themselves were more than simple refreshments. They were portable, symbolic, and quietly powerful, creating a tangible connection between the dead and the living. We also explore: The ritual role of food and drink at funerals Black sealing wax and the symbolism of opening and closing Women’s often overlooked role in funerary hospitality Mulled wine, alcohol, and the balance between mourning and release Hymn texts, memory, and echoes of the Eucharist At the heart of the episode is a simple but profound idea: food becomes a carrier of memory. It moves between bodies, between people, and between the living and the dead. And, in true A Curious Appetite fashion, the conversation takes an unexpected turn. Dan reveals his favourite childhood food and let’s just say, it might surprise you. For more morbid morsels and extra snippets of darkness head to my Substack: https://substack.com/@dralessandrapino Artwork by @medusazzz Audio by @thedeliciouslegacy Music by @manu_pino_1111 Useful links: Misson, Henri. Memoirs and Observations in His Travels over England. Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/mmissonsmemoirs00ozelgoog Pitt Rivers Museum. “English Funeral Food.” University of Oxford. https://england.prm.ox.ac.uk/englishness-funeral-food.html Wesley, Charles. “Worthington.” https://www.iment.com/maida/familytree/henry/music/p45.htm
S1 · E2
March 18 · 25 min
Mallika Basu: Food, Memory & Meaning
For this episode of A Curious Appetite, I speak with food writer Mallika Basu about curry, food culture, migration, and the loaded question of authenticity. Mallika recently came to speak with my California university students at the London campus, and I still remember how their minds were blown by the way she explained complex histories of migration, empire, and identity through food. She has an extraordinary ability to make difficult histories feel understandable and, quite literally, more digestible. In this episode we talk about curry as a British phenomenon, the politics of naming and ownership, why food can provoke such strong emotions, and how recipes can carry meaning even when they do not have a single point of origin. We also discuss her latest book In Good Taste, which explores what shapes what we eat and drink and why it matters. One line that stayed with me from our conversation: “Recipes don’t have IP, but they have meaning.” There is also mango, biryani, childhood memory, and the complicated onion that is the modern food system. Listen to the episode on A Curious Appetite. Read more on Substack: https://substack.com/@dralessandrapino Artwork: @medusazzz Audio: @thedeliciouslegacy Music: @manu_pino_1111 A Curious Appetite is a reader-supported podcast and publication. Subscribe on Substack to receive new essays and episodes. Please follow this show on Spotify. It really helps! Useful Links & Works Mentioned Books by Mallika Basu In Good Taste: What Shapes What We Eat and Drink – and Why It Matters (2026) Masala: Indian Cooking for Modern Living (2018) Miss Masala: A Stylish Indian Cookbook for Effortless Ethnic Cooking and Modern Living (2010) Literary References & Historical Context Collingham, Lizzie. Curry: A Tale of Cooks and Conquerors. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2006. Dickson Wright, Clarissa. A History of English Food. London: Random House, 2011. Glasse, Hannah. The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy. 1803. Huxley, Aldous. Jesting Pilate. 1926. Panayi, Panikos. Migrant City: A New History of London. 2020. Panayi, Panikos. Spicing Up Britain. 1995. Sukhadwala, Sejal. The Philosophy of Curry. 2023. Empire Podcast – “Inventing Curry: The British Taste for India” Empire (BBC / Open University, 2012) Episode 1 – A Taste for Power Episode 2 – Making Ourselves at Home Episode 3 – Playing the Game Episode 4 – Making a Fortune Episode 5 – Doing Good
S1 · E1
March 4 · 49 min
Stephen Volk: Séances and the Hunger for Connection
Today’s guest is the brilliant Stephen Volk, screenwriter behind Ghostwatch, Afterlife, Gothic, The Guardian, and one of my favourite supernatural films, The Awakening (2011). In this episode we talk about séances as the perfect storytelling device, Dickens’s “The Portrait-Painter’s Story,” which inspired a story of Stephen’s own, belief and doubt as the engine of ghost stories, and the uncanny power of everyday objects in horror, including food, eggs, and even cake decorations that can quietly carry so many emotions. Along the way I also got to hear about some of Stephen’s own food memories. Stephen discusses his excellent short story collections The Good Unknown (2023) and The Confirmed Bachelors (2025) . There is a moment from Ghostwatch that has stayed with me since childhood. The poltergeist makes itself known through a ruined dinner when the family’s mackerel suddenly appears covered in something that looks disturbingly like saliva. I remember thinking how awful it was that not only were they experiencing something terrifying, but they now could not even sit down and eat their meal. Because horror does not just interrupt fear. Sometimes it interrupts dinner! Part of this conversation also appears in Haunted Magazine #49. Listen now, and if you enjoy the episode please follow and share A Curious Appetite with Dr Alessandra Pino. With special thanks to @deliciouslegacy for the audio, @medusazzz for the artwork, and @manu_pino_1111 for the music. Useful Links/ Works Mentioned Works by Stephen Volk Volk, Stephen. The Good Unknown: And Other Ghost Stories. Manchester: Sarob Press, 2023. Includes the stories “Unrecovered” and “The Waiting Room.” Volk, Stephen. The Confirmed Bachelors. Manchester: Sarob Press, 2025. Ghostwatch. Written by Stephen Volk. BBC, 1992. Afterlife. Created by Stephen Volk. ITV, 2005–2006. Midwinter of the Spirit. Written by Stephen Volk. ITV, 2015. Adapted from the Merrily Watkins novels by Phil Rickman. Gothic. Directed by Ken Russell. Screenplay by Stephen Volk. 1986. The Guardian. Directed by William Friedkin. Screenplay by Stephen Volk. 1990. The Awakening. Directed by Nick Murphy. Written by Stephen Volk and Nick Murphy. 2011. Books and Written Works Discussed Barthes, Roland. Mythologies. Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1957. Crowe, Catherine. The Night Side of Nature; or, Ghosts and Ghost-Seers. London: T.C. Newby, 1848. Dickens, Charles (ed.). All the Year Round. London: Chapman & Hall, 1859–1895. Dickens, Charles. “The Portrait Painter’s Tale.” All the Year Round, 1861. James, Henry. The Turn of the Screw. London: William Heinemann, 1898. James, M. R. “Oh, Whistle, and I’ll Come to You, My Lad.” In Ghost Stories of an Antiquary. London: Edward Arnold, 1904. Levin, Ira. Rosemary’s Baby. New York: Random House, 1967. Rickman, Phil. The Merrily Watkins Series. Various publishers, 1998–present. Tomalin, Claire. The Invisible Woman: The Story of Nelly Ternan and Charles Dickens. London: Viking, 1990. Film and Television Referenced A Haunting in Venice. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. 2023. The Changeling. Directed by Peter Medak. 1980. The Exorcist. Directed by William Friedkin. 1973. Evil Dead Rise. Directed by Lee Cronin. 2023. Ghostbusters. Directed by Ivan Reitman. 1984. Hereditary. Directed by Ari Aster. 2018. Host. Directed by Rob Savage. 2020. The Haunting. Directed by Robert Wise. 1963. The Innocents. Directed by Jack Clayton. 1961. Lake Mungo. Directed by Joel Anderson. 2008. Presence. Directed by Steven Soderbergh. 2024. The Sixth Sense. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan. 1999. Starve Acre. Directed by Daniel Kokotajlo. 2023. The Stone Tape. Written by Nigel Kneale. BBC television film, 1972. The Others. Directed by Alejandro Amenábar. 2001. Vertigo. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock. 1958. Whistle and I’ll Come to You. Directed by Jonathan Miller. BBC, 1968. The Invisible Woman. Directed by Ralph Fiennes. 2013.
February 24 · 45 sec
A Curious Appetite with Dr Alessandra Pino- Coming Soon
Gothic food, horror, and the culture of consumption. Hosted by Dr Alessandra Pino, this podcast explores how food shapes literature, history, migration, and the Gothic imagination. Moving between archive and kitchen, theory and lived experience, it considers appetite as a force that structures identity, memory, and power. Each episode invites listeners to rethink what it means to consume- and to be consumed.

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