An introduction to the Mediæval kitchen. During the period household meals were cooked on an open hearth in the middle of the main living area, making efficient use of the heat. For most of the Mediæval period this was the most common arrangement, even in wealthy households, where the kitchen and dining hall were combined. Later separate kitchens began to appear.

A brief history of foods and their origins. This time, sugar.

The Forme of Cury (‘The Method of Cooking’ is an extensive 14th-century collection of medieval English recipes.

Introducing Eliza Acton a cookery pioneer who is far too often forgotten. She established the format for written recipes still used to this day that includes a description of the process, a list of ingredients, and the cooking time. Before her, cook's relied on just a list of ingredients and their own skill to create dishes. Eliza's innovative style allowed anyone to reproduce a recipe from scratch.

A brief history of the orange inspired by a delicious Georgian era recipe for Orange Cake.

A brief history of the pineapple, a tropical plant with an edible fruit indigenous to South America, where it has been cultivated for many centuries.

According to a BBC News tweet , the "Welsh leek" could be set for protected status. "A Brief History of Foods", reveals how surprisingly few of our commonly used ingredients are not native to these shores. Such is the case with leeks, whose Welsh heritage is not so clear cut.

On This Day, December 31st, 1705, Catherine of Braganza, widow of Charles II whom she had married in 1662, died in Lisbon, Portugal. Most notably, from our food history perspective, Catherine is said to have brought the tea drinking habit to the Royal Court.

On This Day, December 30th, a cold Sunday morning in 1945, the cargo ship Tilapa docked in Bristol. It was carrying the first bananas to be seen in Britain for five years.

A series exploring a Brief History of Foods, in this case Coffee.

A brief introductory history to the humble sausage, popular worldwide.

A brief history and description of common ingredients, in this case, lemons.

A simple guide for teachers and pupils on food history in Britain and some of the foods introduced by the Romans.

Reclining to eat was the preserve of rich Romans so how did ordinary citizens dine? Find out how "fast food" is not a modern idea but has roots in Roman towns and cities.

A brief introductory guide to wine and winemaking in the Roman period.

"Kitchenalia" introduces objects from different historical periods, discovers a bit about their history and how each was made. We look at how, through our practical experiments, we have learnt to best use them, and offer some recipes for you to try at home. Today's object is the Roman glirarium.

A brief history of the mysterious plant named silphium famed for its flavour in ancient cuisine.

A brief history of the use of sweet chestnuts in cooking.

A brief history of cheese and cheesemaking.

The history of the humble chicken's arrival in Britain remains a bit of a puzzle. Found everywhere today, just where did these birds originate, and do we have the Romans to thank for their introduction?