History’s Greatest Dishes
HistoryExtra 6 episodes Nov 9, 2026
History's Greatest Dishes, from HistoryExtra, explores the fascinating stories behind iconic foods, from pineapple on pizza to the Victoria Sponge. Hosted by Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray, the series serves up culinary legends, half-baked myths, and deliciously odd tales. It offers a feast of facts about remarkable delicacies from the past, guaranteed to leave you with food for thought.
Episodes
Dumplings
Gnocchi, bao, pierogi – and doughnuts? In this second episode of our new season of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray tackle the tasty question of what counts as a dumpling. They explore how cooks across the world faced similar kitchen conundrums – dough in search of a purpose, stews in need of a little extra – and came up with dumplings in a dazzling array of
Toast
History’s Greatest Dishes is back – and in this first episode, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray tell the story of a humble British favourite. From its curious role as sickroom ‘toast water’ to the delights of Victorian toasting forks, they consider an all-important question: is toast the best thing since sliced bread? Plus, they tuck into a quick-fire tour of toppings, taking stock of
We're back for series two!
Did Oliver Cromwell really ban one of our favourite Christmas treats? Are pasties really Cornish? And is toast the best thing since sliced bread? History’s Greatest Dishes is back with its second series, serving up a fresh helping of food history.
Join HistoryExtra’s Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray as they tuck into a menu that includes dumplings and jerk chicken, custard, tea, mince
Gooseberry Fool
Featuring just a handful of ingredients, gooseberry fool is among the simplest of all desserts – but also one of the most beloved. But what makes a fool a fool? Why does it owe its existence in equal measure to medieval kitchen gardens and the Victorian fad for enormous gooseberries? And why have its tart ingredients recently fallen from favour?
In this episode of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily
Balti
From its roots in Birmingham’s south Asian communities in the 1970s to its meteoric rise to become one of Britain’s most popular curries, Balti marks a fusion between historical tradition and innovation.
In this episode of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray journey back to the earliest days of south Asian cuisine in Britain to chart the origins of this vibrant
Victoria Sponge
Light as air, this neat sandwich of cake, jam and cream is often seen as emblematic of British baking – but its story is richer and more complex than its simple ingredients might suggest.
In this episode of History's Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray explore how an unassuming cake became a national icon. They chart its rise amid the 19th-century boom in baking technolo
Pizza
Think pizza has always been the ultimate crowd-pleaser? Think again. Before it became a global fast-food favourite, pizza was a humble Italian street food with a far more complicated backstory.
In this episode of History’s Greatest Dishes, Emily Briffett and food historian Annie Gray explore the rich (and occasionally controversial) history of pizza. From its simple origins on the bustling street
Blancmange
Welcome to History's Greatest Dishes – the series from HistoryExtra in which food historian Annie Gray chats with Emily Briffett about the origins of some of the most unusual, innovative and enduring delicacies.
First on the menu is blancmange. For some people, the word conjures moments of horror from the school cafeteria. Yet, as Annie and Emily discuss in this episode, the original medieval rec
Introducing History’s Greatest Dishes!
Ever wondered who we have to thank for pineapple on pizza? Or whether the Victoria Sponge was really named after the long-reigning monarch?
History's Greatest Dishes, the new series from HistoryExtra, serves up a feast of facts about some of the past's most remarkable delicacies. Expect culinary legends, half-baked myths and deliciously odd tales – all in the company of Emily Briffett and food h
