Rephonic
Artwork for Garlic & Pearls
France
British Culture
Christmas
French Culture
Paris
Britain
French History
Concierge
Paris, France
French Revolution
Harris Tweed
Wheelie Bin
Playing Cards
Hedgerows
A Roads
Panache
Cultural Identity
Johnny Hallyday
Marseille Soap
Insouciance

Suzanne and Muriel examine a series of very different things – from a film to a kitchen utensil, a model train to a bar of soap – that define British or French attitudes, each explaining her cultural background to the other and trying to get to the essence of what makes the British British and the French French.

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PublishesWeeklyEpisodes129Founded2 years ago
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Society & Culture

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Artwork for Garlic & Pearls

Latest Episodes

The dark is rising, and Suzanne is on hand to make the back of your neck prickle with the creepy, poetic and quintessentially British ghost stories of Montague Rhodes James, aka MR James. Enter a twilit world of marshes and mists, country houses and ... more

Things get rather raffish and French as Muriel entices Suzanne into that most Gallic of spaces - the boudoir - and tells her everything she ever wanted to know about it but was afraid to ask.

What actually happens in that room? What is it for? We ope... more

They seek him here; they seek him there... Suzanne gives Muriel a riveting rendering of The Scarlet Pimpernel, Hungarian émigrée Baroness Orczy's colourful and melodramatic 1905 historical novel set during the French Revolution, in which a gallant mi... more

Muriel tells Suzanne the story of the printed cotton or linen known as toile de Jouy, generally printed in a single colour on a neutral background and created in the late 18th century by an enterprising German émigré, the engraving and colour special... more

Key Facts

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Recent Guests

Charlotte Faucher
Historian and French Institute expert
Bristol University (Modern Languages)
Episode: The Institut Français du Royaume-Uni: Britain's Official Portal into French Culture!
Debora Robertson
British food writer and expat in France
Independent writer; Expat columnist for Telegraph
Episode: Debora Robertson: What We Get Wrong About France
Graham Robb
Historian and author of The Discovery of France and The Discovery of Britain
Historian and author
Episode: Graham Robb: The Real Making of Britain and France: A myth-busting, panoramic trip through time and space
Chris Newens
Journalist and food writer
Moveable Feasts / Paris food writing
Episode: Chris Newens: How to Eat Everything in Paris
Izzy Law
Skipper and photographer from the Isle of Skye; shinty player
Isle of Skye
Episode: Shinty: 'Quite a violent version of hockey'

Hosts

Muriel Zagha
French host exploring cultural differences between France and Britain
Suzanne Raine
British host exploring cultural differences between Britain and France

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 102 ratings
  • Fun and informative !

    This podcast was recommended to me by Debora of “ Licked Spoon “ ……and I love it !

    It’s like sitting in a cafe with two good friends , discussing life over coffee ( or wine ! ) …..fun, but also really informative and interesting too , full of facts you may not have known before about how things have come to be named/ invented / celebrated / written ….this one , on the Beaufort Scale for example , it was fascinating to learn about how it developed .

    Muriel’s episodes are also lovely , fun to lear... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    swanlake7
    United Kingdom2 months ago
  • Absolutely wonderful! Quirky & Fun

    I absolutely love your podcast. Brit living in Suisse Romande, it is both highly entertaining/ interesting from a cultural point of view and really enjoyable being part of your giggles and humour. Keep going it’s great!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Mel in la Suisse
    Switzerland9 months ago
  • Merveilleux !

    This is one of my favourite podcasts, and it is the most beguiling - on both sides of the Channel - that I have found anywhere. Such interesting subjects so well delivered (mentions spéciales: les rondpoints, the tax year, Wellingtonias, Orangina!).

    I had been been missing << Mythologies >> since the untimely disappearance of Roland Barthes deprived us of the great philosopher’s thoughts on < la nouvelle Citroën > or < le bifteck et les frites > - the latter perhaps a forerunner of Garlic & Pea... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Robin Benn
    United Kingdoma year ago
  • Found out about it after muriel appeared with giles coren on Times radio. Hooked by the fabulous theme tune, and the multicultural chat. Makes me smile and educative

    Podchaser
    5
    will.job.fluidns
    a year ago
  • Wonderful

    I am hugely enjoying this fascinating Podcast. Only today I ordered an Orangina because it was in the original bottle (and woke it up)! Who else could have made jigsaw puzzles interesting, Brigitte so compelling and the history of the BIC 4 Colours pen so fascinating? No one except Muriel Zagha and Suzanne Raine. This well researched, brilliantly presented, warm and humorous Podcast is in a league of its own.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Lettiesophia
    United Kingdoma year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Reviews praise the hosts' voices and the polished, pleasant listening experience.
The British-French comparisons help listeners learn about both cultures, often prompting them to see their own traditions differently.
Listeners appreciate the unusual range of subjects and the way familiar objects and customs lead to surprising stories.
Listeners value the hosts' warm rapport, humor and lively chemistry.
The conversations are described as entertaining while offering substantial, well-researched cultural and historical detail.

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Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

The boudoir: sulking room, private retreat, haven of frolics?
Q: Could a man have a boudoir?
Yes. Boudoirs were not originally exclusive to women; architectural plans show them in men's homes as well, including a room in the Episcopal Palace in Rennes and boudoirs commissioned by aristocratic men.
The boudoir: sulking room, private retreat, haven of frolics?
Q: What is a boudoir really?
It is a small private room, generally set apart from reception rooms. Historically it could be a place to rest, read, keep collections, or enjoy privacy, and its use and cultural associations changed over time.
Chris Newens: How to Eat Everything in Paris
Q: Why did you decide to write Moveable Feasts about Paris through its arrondissements?
To capture Paris as a mosaic of communities and culinary practices, showing how geography, history, and terroir shape what people eat and how they eat it.
Panache: How a French king's white feather came to define a Gallic core value
Q: But can British people have panache?
I'm sure they can. I'm certain of it.
Insouciance: What is it and can the British ever achieve it?
Q: Can British people be insouciant?
Yes, but it requires a mindset shift, as British culture often instills a sense of insecurity.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Garlic & Pearls

What is Garlic & Pearls about and what kind of topics does it cover?

Suzanne Raine and Muriel Zagha use everyday objects, food, books, films, customs and historical figures to explore what feels distinctly British or French. Each brings her own cultural perspective, explaining the references and assumptions the other may take for granted. Their conversations move from a familiar item or work of art into its history, social meaning and place in national identity, often drawing connections across the Channel and through time.

The format is an informal, research-rich conversation between two regular hosts, with personal memories, lively banter and cultural analysis rather than a rotating lineup of interview guests. Its distinctive appeal is the scale of its subjects: a snack, fabric, wind scale or summer fruit... more

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How many listeners does Garlic & Pearls get?

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To see how many followers or subscribers Garlic & Pearls has on Spotify and other platforms such as Castbox and Podcast Addict, simply upgrade your account. You'll also find viewership figures for their YouTube channel if they have one.

Which podcasts are similar to Garlic & Pearls?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Garlic & Pearls:

1. The TLS Podcast
2. The Andrew Neil Report
3. The State of It
4. The Politics Show
5. Page 94: The Private Eye Podcast

How many episodes of Garlic & Pearls are there?

Garlic & Pearls launched 2 years ago and published 129 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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Our systems regularly scour the web to find email addresses and social media links for this podcast. We scanned the web and collated all of the contact information that we could find in our podcast database. But in the unlikely event that you can't find what you're looking for, our concierge service lets you request our research team to source better contacts for you.

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What guests have appeared on Garlic & Pearls?

Recent guests on Garlic & Pearls include:

1. Charlotte Faucher
2. Debora Robertson
3. Graham Robb
4. Chris Newens
5. Izzy Law

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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