A Feast of Folklore

A Feast of Folklore examines the beliefs, customs and stories attached to British food, showing how everyday ingredients became remedies, charms, omens and ritual objects. Ben Gazur considers familiar superstitions, including throwing salt over the shoulder and the belief that carrots improve night vision, alongside less expected traditions involving cheese-rolling, apple-pie fairs and wedding customs.

Arranged by food and theme, the book covers vegetable, fruit, meat, fish, dairy, egg, bread and pie lore, before turning to Easter and Christmas cakes, love magic, fairy food and free meals. Its accounts include blackberries linked with the Devil, eggshells used in stories about witches, and food treated as both sustenance and a source of magical power.