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We Need to Talk About Chocolate

We Need to Talk About Chocolate

By: Ed Easton and Andrew Nason
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Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

From the sacred rituals of the Mayans and Aztecs, to the shelves of modern supermarkets, chocolate has always been more than just mere confection. It’s a symbol, a currency, a craving, and a billion-dollar industry with a not-so-sweet side.

I’m Ed Easton - writer, journalist, and lifelong chocoholic - and I’m joined by a man who truly lives chocolate: Andrew Nason is the visionary behind Melt Chocolates. He’s a master chocolatier, a flavour obsessive, and someone who can tell his Forastero from his Criollo with just one sniff.

Together, we’ll be digging deep. Tracing the rise of cacao from sacred bean to global obsession. discovering how chocolate has shaped and been shaped by the world around us.

On today’s episode, we’ll travel back over 3,000 years to meet the world’s first chocolatiers, discover the ancient civilisations who gorged on cacao before performing human sacrifices, and visit the ruins of a place dubbed the ‘chocolate Pompeii’.

Because trust us... we need to talk about chocolate.


Brought to you buy MELT Chocolates!

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Episodes
  • Did English pirates help invent the chocolate bar? Andrew and Ed celebrate the UK's choccy influence

    Did English pirates help invent the chocolate bar? Andrew and Ed celebrate the UK's choccy influence
    Jun 3 2025

    This is the REAL story of chocolate.

    The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

    Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

    From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

    Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

    On today's episode Andrew and Ed discuss all things English - from the plundering pirates to the coco-clubs of St James' - and make the case that their own country's influence of chocolate is somewhat underrated.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    30 mins
  • Is Chocolate an Aphrodisiac? Andrew and Ed Debate Love, Lust and Lentils

    Is Chocolate an Aphrodisiac? Andrew and Ed Debate Love, Lust and Lentils
    May 21 2025

    This is the REAL story of chocolate.

    The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

    Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

    From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

    Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

    You’ll meet ancient chocolatiers, explore the ruins of a “chocolate Pompeii,” and follow the journey of chocolate through colonisation, exploitation, innovation, and indulgence.

    Because trust us, we really do need to talk about chocolate.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    38 mins
  • Did Europe Invent Chocolate? Andrew and Ed Talk Coco Conquest

    Did Europe Invent Chocolate? Andrew and Ed Talk Coco Conquest
    May 13 2025

    This is the REAL story of chocolate.

    The story the big corporations don’t want you to know.

    Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where we unwrap the rich, sticky, and sometimes bittersweet history of the world’s most beloved treat.

    From sacred rituals performed by the Mayans and Aztecs to the industrial empires that flood supermarket shelves today, chocolate has never been just a confection. It’s been a symbol of power, a sacred offering, a global obsession, and a billion-dollar industry with a dark side.

    Hosted by writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and world-renowned chocolatier Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates, this series digs deep beneath the foil to uncover the untold truths behind the cacao bean.

    You’ll meet ancient chocolatiers, explore the ruins of a “chocolate Pompeii,” and follow the journey of chocolate through colonisation, exploitation, innovation, and indulgence.

    Because trust us, we really do need to talk about chocolate.

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
    Show More Show Less
    47 mins

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