Let Them Eat Books

A Scottish Culinary Institution with tangible cultural heritage dripping like brown sauce down the chin, this week's episode sees a crispy Claire and a well-fired Colin celebrate the Scottish Morning Roll. From Morton's to McGhee's, from Christie's to Goodfellow & Steven, we worship at the ovens of some of Scotland's iconic purveyors of the king of bakery items. And in terms of authors, how could you better the doubler of Louise Welsh and James Kelman? Also featuring references to Robert Louis Stevenson and Alexander McCall Smith.   

Coated in sesame seeds, Colin and Claire discuss works by Angela Hui, Ronan Hession and Will Harris as they discuss the legendary Cantonese dish Prawn Toast through some literary references to it! 

The Bertie Bassetts of the podcast world, licoricious as always, Colin and Claire talk all sorts about the sweeter than sweet root Licorice and its story and literary connections, taking us to Ancient Egypt, Scandinavia and even as far afield as Pontefract in Yorkshire. They discuss texts by Monique Quintana, Ernest Hemingway and Raymond Antrobus, with a mention of Sir John Betjemen. 

Your Colin and Claire talk Blueberries in the latest episode of Let Them Eat Books. This episode focuses on Amanda Peters' novel The Berry Pickers and Ellena Savage's collection of essays Blueberries, and also mentions a poem by Caroline Laganas.  The inspiration for the episode came from Monica's Bakes in Balsall Common thanks to their Blueberry Flapjack!

Two Shellfish T**ts discuss Mussels! Highlighting Birgit Vanderbeek's brilliant 1990 novella The Mussel Feast, Colin and Claire take a trip through Mussels from Belgium to Chile, stopping off at the iconic Loch Fyne Shellfish Bar in Glasgow's Barras Market. 

An Ugly ball of roots and Claire discuss an ugly ball of roots. Celeriac is the star of today's show featuring literary references to Gail Honeyman, Simon Barraclough and Olga Dermott-Bond. 

It's time Empire Biscuits were rebranded! Listen in to the episode to see what Colin and Claire come up with for this deliciously short jammy sandwich cookie. They also read their own poems inspired by the bakery staple and Claire gets pretty hot under the colour about Milkybar version. 

Colin and Claire cut the cheese and shoot the breeze on all things Cheeseboard, whether you take yours before or after dessert! Featuring texts by Jon Ståle Ritland, Monica Sok and Maaria Rajput! Listen in but not too close to bed time or expect cheese-mares!

This week's episode features the Sicilian Pastry Minne di Sant'Agata. Colin and Claire discuss texts by Giuseppe Tomasi de Lampedusa, Michelle Steinbeck, Dorothea Lasky, Laoighseach Ní Choistealbha and Michèle Saint-Michel. As this episode details sexual violence, please do visit Survivors Network for resources if effected by any of the content. 

Claire and Colin are joined at The Last Bookstore in Glasgow by Sumayya Usmani, author of Summers Under the Tamarind Tree: Recipes & Memories From Pakistan, Mountain Berries and Desert Spice: Sweet Inspiration From the Hunza Valley to the Arabian Sea  and Andaza, a food memoir. They discuss writing, food and memory.