Let Them Eat Books

Let Them Eat Books is a podcast hosted by Claire Reynolds and Colin Herd about all the food you have and haven’t tried in all the books you have and haven’t read. Leaving jammy fingerprints on book jackets, reading every last word on the back of packets, we combine the two things that make us who we are: a shared passion for the culinary and the literary! We also visit food and book locations around Scotland and further afield.

Episodes

Sep 16, 2025

43 min

Peeling the complex and fascinating literary history of the Orange, your hosts discuss Jeanette Winterson, Gareth Russell and Wendy Cope! Also, as ever this episode is packed full of Vitamins C and C (Colin and Claire!) 

Sep 9, 2025

25 min

Claire and Colin get stuck in to some Porridge-talk after having savoured some delicious wholesome grains in Singl-end in Glasgow’s Merchant City. They read a poem by Rebecca Kane and debate the pros and cons of oat vs dairy milk in the national dish. 

Sep 2, 2025

32 min

You oatta listen to this episode, which is O(A)TT in all the right ways, with Colin and Claire discussing the humble but brilliant Oat, by way of Percival Everett, Wang Meng and Galway Kinnell. 

Aug 26, 2025

26 min

Colin and Claire lick the gelato cone of literature here in an episode that delves into the differences between Gelato and Ice Cream as well as July, a poem by Cristin O’Keefe Aptowicz and The Neapolitan Novels by Elena Ferrante. 

Aug 19, 2025

44 min

Recorded live from Colin’s office for Instagram Live this episode recaps the series by featuring some food and books that didn’t make it into the main episodes. Including: Elizabeth Alexander, Kit Robinson, Bora Chung, Gertrude Stein, Ron Padgett and more. We also eat Banana Bread with Walnuts, Pickled Walnuts, and Dulse Butter as we look ahead to some of the treats to expect in Season 2 starting next week! 

Aug 12, 2025

26 min

Colin and Claire taste a delicious Parisian Hot Chocolate in the West End of Glasgow and talk about all things comforting and warming, while experimenting with adding cheese to it! They read a poem by Jack Gilbert called The End of The World 

Aug 5, 2025

1hr 5 min

A bumper episode featuring Claire and Colin reminiscing about chocolate treats and confectionary they love, and also biting into a host of literary references including: Ed Atkins’ book Old Food, Laura Esquivel’s novel Like Water for Chocolate, Curtis Sittenfeld’s story The Napkin Project and also a couple of morsels from Enrique Vila-Matas and June Jordan! You’re in for a Selection Box of Literary and Food content. 

Jul 29, 2025

29 min

A Bake Sale Classic, Colin and Claire delve into the creamy buttercream icing of a coffee and walnut cake while sharing some of their own poems and getting the giggles! 

Jul 22, 2025

53 min

Always tough nuts to crack, Colin and Claire discuss the walnut this week. Featuring writing from Takashi Hiraide and André Malraux, they delve into every crack and crevice of these weird brain-shapes with their own weird brain-shapes. 

Jul 15, 2025

17 min

This episode of the podcast sees Claire and Colin road trip to Aberdeen to taste-test Aberdeen Butteries or Rowies, the flaky pastry that’s beloved in the North East. Visiting Ross of Chapel Street, The Bread Guys, The Bread Maker, Byron Bakery and Ross on Swithin Street, we eat more Butteries than is good for us! 

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