A Dark History of Chocolate

A Dark History of Chocolate

Author: Rachel Mosses October 5, 2021 Duration: 1:01:35

In this bonus episode I talk with Emma Kay about her new book The Dark History of Chocolate.

Firstly, may I say that this is a fantastic book. I constantly alternated between being ashamed of ever eating chocolate to being seduced by the idea of this rich, darkly magical substance. I was left at the end not sure whether I could ever look a chocolate digestive in the face again and equally wanting to rush off and make intensely dark chocolate truffles with smoky whisky & sea salt and indulge in every one! 

Emma Kay is a museum professional who has worked in major institutions including The National Maritime Museum, The British Museum and the University of Bath. She is qualified in History and Conservation and numerous areas of Heritage Management and Archaeology. 

She is now a food historian, author and prolific collector of Kitchenalia and lives in the Cotswolds with her husband and young son. Her articles have appeared in publications including BBC History Magazine, The Daily Express, Daily Mail and Times Literary Supplement. She has contributed historic food research for a number of television production companies and featured several times on Talk Radio Europe, BBC Hereford and Worcester, BBC Coventry and Warwickshire, BBC Humberside, BBC Gloucestershire and LifeFM.

In 2018 she appeared in a ten-part series for the BBC and Hungry Gap Productions, ‘ The Best Christmas Food Ever’ and on BBC Countryfile, co-presenting a feature exploring the heritage of the black pear.

At the end of 2019 Emma was filmed for a new Channel 5 series, exploring the food from some of Britain’s greatest battles. She is also the author of 9 published books.

You can order this book direct from the publishers Pen and Sword, Bookshop.org or other good booksellers. You can find out more about Emma at her website  or on Twitter @museumofkitchen or Instagram @museumofkitchenalia . Emma also has a Youtube channel .

You can also find out more about Folklore, Food and Fairytales at Hestia's Kitchen which has all past episodes and the connected recipes on the blog.  If you'd like to get in touch about the podcast you can find me on Twitter or Instagram at @FairyTalesFood.


Rachel Mosses hosts Folklore, Food and Fairytales, a podcast that sits at the comfortable, worn-in table where narrative and nourishment meet. Each episode begins with a story-a piece of folklore, a fairytale, or a lesser-known myth-and then delves into the culinary world hidden within its lines. The discussion isn't just about whether the porridge in a tale is symbolic or simply a relatable detail; it's about unearthing the real food history and traditions that those fictional meals echo. You'll hear about the rituals of both eating and storytelling, and how each feeds a different kind of hunger. This podcast naturally explores how recipes are themselves stories passed down, and how the history of a dish can be as compelling as the plot of a legend. Listen for a thoughtful blend of narration and analysis, where a great story is always served with a side of fascinating context, leaving you to ponder the deep, savoury connections between the tales we tell and the food we share.
Author: Language: en-gb Episodes: 50

Folklore, Food and Fairytales
Podcast Episodes
Two Ghosts & a Goblin or The Slightly Scary Story Special [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:21
The Stories in this episode are: Old Tommy & The Spectre, Box on the Ears and The Cook & the Goblin adapated from Ruth Manning Sanders This is another just the stories episode, this time for All Hallows Eve. There are th…
The Dark Spectre or the Elusive Elderberry [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:57
In which we discover that you should stick to your path, no matter what others say, that you shouldn't let an elderberry pudding get in the way of the rest of your life and that perfectly good castles only lie empty for…
How Food Frames Stories - Anna Kharzeeva [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:20
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
How Food Frames Stories - Robbie Armstrong [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:18:59
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
How Food Frames Stories - Olivia Potts [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:50
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
How Food Frames Stories - Aaron Vallance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 41:46
In these fractured times l wanted to continue to look at how stories and food can overcome the distance between people and enhance our shared experiences so earlier this year I spent time exploring storytelling through f…
Cap O'Rushes or The Salt Significance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:39
In which we discover that when you are forced to leave home you should always try and take your best frock, that salt can spark both joy and anger and that there is a little Cinderella everywhere if you look hard enough.…
The Farmer and the Bogle or the Lore of Lammas [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:42
In which we discover that the trickster can be tricked, that a good knowledge of crops is essential if you want to best a bogle, that everyone needs a wiffle waffle occasionally and there are few situations in which fest…
The Old Woman Who Lived in a Vinegar Bottle or The Pickle Controversy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:24
In which we discover the connection between unmanageable women, good strong vinegar and the importance of good manners. We also learn that happiness can be found anywhere but chances are improved if there is a rocking ch…