286: England: Beef and Liberty

The podcast explores the historical significance of roast beef in shaping English identity and notions of liberty, contrasting it with French culinary traditions. It highlights how, from the Tudor era onwards, beef consumption became associated with English strength, universality, and even violence, as noted by foreign travelers. The discussion references Shakespeare's Henry V and quotes from 18th-century figures who saw English plainness in cookery as a virtue against French sophistication. The hosts examine the rise of beefsteak clubs, with members like Hogarth and Dr. Johnson, and the symbolic figure of John Bull, embodying English skepticism and anti-intellectualism. The conversation touches upon the decline of beef's cultural prominence after the Napoleonic Wars, while also noting its echoes in modern Texan barbecue culture and figures like Ian Botham.