logo
episode-header-image
Dec 2020
28m 47s

The History of Chocolate (Radio Edit)

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Greg Jenner is joined by chocolate historian Alex Hutchinson and British TV legend Richard Osman to explore the culinary and cultural history of chocolate.

How did cacao become chocolate and find its way into our shops and hearts?

A Muddy Knees Media production for BBC Radio 4.

Up next
Yesterday
Medieval Irish Folklore (Radio Edit)
In this special live episode, recorded at the 2023 Hay Festival, Greg Jenner is joined by Dr Gillian Kenny and comedian Seán Burke to learn about medieval Irish folklore.Greg and his guests discuss the lore and stories from Gaelic Irish culture. Gaelic culture remained the domina ... Show More
28m 10s
Apr 10
El Cid: the life and legend of a medieval Spanish warrior
Greg Jenner is joined in medieval Spain by historian Professor Nora Berend and comedian Toussaint Douglass to learn about the colourful life and afterlife of the warrior known as El Cid. El Cid – real name Rodrigo Díaz – was a mercenary in eleventh-century Spain who fought for bo ... Show More
58m 16s
Apr 3
Empress Dowager Cixi: from concubine to ruler of China
Greg Jenner is joined in nineteenth-century China by historian Professor Yangwen Zheng and comedian Sophie Duker to learn about the Qing dynasty ruler Empress Dowager Cixi. A contemporary of Queen Victoria, Cixi rose from low-ranked concubine to de facto ruler of China for nearly ... Show More
58m 6s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2024
425. The History Of Chocolate
‘For if a person fatigued with long and hard labour, or with a violent agitation of the mind, takes a good dish of chocolate, he shall perceive almost instantly that his faintness shall cease, and his strength shall be recovered’ The Cacao tree was first domesticated by the Olmec ... Show More
47m 27s
Dec 2020
The Secret Life of Chocolate. Part 1: Origins
Dan Saladino explores the origins of cacao, from the bean's journey from central America to Europe and the rise of the chocolate bar.The first of a two part chocolate special of The Food Programme.Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.First broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in December 2 ... Show More
28m 39s
Nov 2013
How Chocolate Works
<p>People have been consuming chocolate for at least a couple thousand years, but it's only been in the last hundred that humanity has arrived at its crowning achievement: the smooth, creamy milk chocolate bar. Find out about the history of chocolate, how it's made and how it aff ... Show More
40m 38s
May 2024
Hershey and the Chocolate Theme Park
Rerun. Hersheypark was created as a recreation ground for the workers and families who staffed the Hershey chocolate factory in Pennsylvania when it opened on 30th May, 1906. But visitors from across the State soon came to marvel at its playgrounds, boating lake and band-stand… a ... Show More
12m 22s
Dec 2020
The Secret Life of Chocolate. Part 2: The future.
Sheila Dillon is joined by baker and chocolatier Selasi Gbormittah and chocoholic comedian Sue Perkins to celebrate the present and future of the British chocolate bar. They look to a new generation of UK bred 'Willy Wonkas', chocolate makers large and small, from South East Lond ... Show More
29m 13s
Jun 2023
How Horrible Chocolate Helped Win World War II
A successful military hinges on nutrition, and modern warfare is no different. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max dive to the strange deal Uncle Sam made with the Hershey chocolate company: creating a candy bar that tasted terrible -- on purpose.See omnystudio.com/listener for ... Show More
30m 33s
Apr 2022
Dinosaur Friends: Thundersaur Loves Chocolate
Thundersaur loves everything with chocolate, chocolate milk, chocolate bread, chocolate cookies, chocolate ice cream. Suddenly he finds that his teeth disappear in strawberry chocolate pool. If you like this story, subscribe to the podcast and share it with your friends to en ... Show More
4m 54s
Dec 2019
Can chocolate be clean?
The bittersweet world of chocolate is complex - cocoa beans are produced by some of the poorest people on the planet and turned into chocolate for some of the richest, and the sweet stuff is haunted by child labour, slavery, trafficking and deforestation. But could the rise of ar ... Show More
26m 5s