The Chocolate Podcast

In this episode of The Chocolate Channel, Ed Easton and Andrew Nason (aka "The Don Chocolier") don their armor to dive into the high-stakes world of 16th-century piracy and its surprising connection to the history of chocolate. We explore the complex legacy of Sir Francis Drake, moving beyond the "English Hero" myth to uncover his role as a privateer, slaver, and a "thorn in the side" of the Spani...

In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, Episode 13, Season 2 we are continuing our conversation about Chocolate Pirates. This time...the Shocking Political Scandal of Captain William Kidd 🏴‍☠️⚖️ Was Captain Kidd really the "worst" pirate in history, or was he a victim of the most corrupt political scandal of the 17th century? In this episode, we break down the life and trial of William Kidd. Fr...

Did you know that the journey of your favorite chocolate bar was once written in blood? In this episode, Ed and Andrew dive deep into the ruthless 16th-century maritime world where the line between "Admiral" and "Pirate" was razor-thin. We explore the brutal legacy of Pedro Menéndez de Avilés—the founder of St. Augustine and the mastermind behind the Spanish Treasure Fleet—and his violent clash wi...

Did pirates actually drink rum, or is that just a Hollywood myth? 🏴‍☠️🍫 In this episode of the Chocolate Podcast, we sit down with guest Kitty Nason to debunk the "drunken sailor" tropes and explore the high-stakes reality of the 16th-century Caribbean. We’re moving past the cardboard cutout version of history to look at the "panoramic view" of the struggle between European pirates and the Spani...

The Chocolate Channel puts one of history's most controversial figures on trial: Christopher Columbus. While often credited with "discovering" the Americas, his role in the history of chocolate - and his actions as a state-sponsored explorer - tell a much darker story. In this episode of the Chocolate Podcast, host Ed Easton and Andrew Nason of Melt Chocolates dive into the "Columbian Exchange," e...

In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, we dive into the fascinating debate: Should you eat chocolate in the morning for a productivity boost, or in the evening to help you sleep? Join host Ed and chocolate expert Andrew Nason as they break down the complex chemistry of cocoa - from the stimulating power of theobromine to the sleep-inducing benefits of magnesium. In this video, you’ll discover:...

In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, we dive deep into the controversial world of "shrinkflation" and what Andrew Nason calls the "inshittification" of our favourite chocolate brands. Are the chocolate bars we loved as kids actually getting smaller, or are they just being replaced with cheaper ingredients? From the iconic Toblerone geometry fail to the petroleum-derived antioxidants in Reese’...

In this episode of The Chocolate Channel, we dive deep into the fascinating link between chocolate, creativity, and the evolution of human consciousness. We explore the "Drunk Monkey" vs. "Stoned Ape" theories and debate whether chocolate was actually the "GOAT" (Greatest of All Time) catalyst for our creative breakthroughs. If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a deeper, existential reason why we cr...

Is chocolate just a sweet treat, or is it a powerful cosmic substance? In this mind-bending episode of The Chocolate Channel, Ed and Andrew (the "Chocolate Shaman") go beyond the candy bar to explore the deep, hallucinogenic roots of cacao. We’re traveling 13.7 billion years back to the Big Bang to trace the stardust inside every cocoa bean, and then diving deep into the Amazon rainforest to uncov...

Did chocolate really begin in the Amazon rainforest? In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, Ed Easton and Andrew Nason explore the mysterious Capybara Caves, ancient cave art, lost Amazon civilisations, and the forgotten origins of cacao. We discuss whether the first tree ever painted by humans could actually have been a cacao tree, how ancient Amazonian peoples may have cultivated chocolate lo...

Chocolate didn’t start with the Maya or Aztecs. In this episode, we go deeper into the Amazon rainforest to explore the true origins of cacao and the early civilisations that first cultivated chocolate. Ed and Andrew break down the latest thinking on cacao’s origins, from ancient Amazonian agroforestry and Terra Preta soil to the idea that the rainforest itself was a carefully engineered orchard....

What if everything you’ve been told about the Inca… is wrong? In this episode, Andrew and Ed go deep into one of the most fascinating civilisations in history - not through war or politics, but through food, science, and chocolate. From 4,000 metres up in the Andes, the Inca built an empire that could transport fresh fish from the Pacific in under 24 hours, engineer vast agricultural systems with...

In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, we leave the chocolate yurt and head into the Melt kitchen to do something we have wanted to try for a while: recreate traditional Mayan chocolate drinks. After speaking to archaeologist Dr Ed Barnhart about the Olmec and Maya, we became slightly obsessed with one question: what did chocolate actually taste like before Europe added sugar and turned it into...

What if chocolate didn’t start as a sweet treat… but as something far stranger? On a new season of The Chocolate Podcast we go right back to the beginning — long before supermarkets, chocolate bars, or even sugar — to uncover the people who first discovered cacao and turned it into something drinkable (and possibly a little magical). We’re diving into the world of the Olmec — one of the earliest c...

What is the healthiest food in the world? A very normal question. To which we have given a very abnormal amount of thought. In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, we set out to do something deeply sensible and only slightly unhinged: rank the greatest foods of all time and work out whether dark chocolate can genuinely hold its own against the usual health-food royalty. So yes, kale is involved....

Is chocolate really a drug? In this episode of The Chocolate Podcast, we leave the gut behind and head straight into the brain. We’re talking dopamine - the most misunderstood neurotransmitter on the planet. It’s not the “happiness chemical.” It’s not about pleasure. It’s about motivation. Drugs. S*x. Social media. Fast food. Achievement. Risk. Cold water swimming. They all sit on the same neurolo...

Welcome back to the We Need To Talk About Chocolate podcast, we're your hosts Ed Easton, writer and journalist and Andrew Nason, chocoholic and amateur chocolate historian. We’re in the Melt chocolate yurt, we’ve got brand new audio gear (so yes… everything is extra crisp), and we’re using that power responsibly by talking about… fibre. That’s right. Fibre. The Cinderella of nutrition. The thing e...

This year, we’re doing something different. Instead of cutting things out, restricting ourselves, or chasing the latest diet trend… we decided to build the perfect lifestyle around one question: If chocolate is one of the most nutrient-dense foods on the planet… what would a chocolate-inspired life actually look like? In this episode, we take everything we’ve uncovered about dark chocolate — healt...

Welcome back to the We Need to Talk About Chocolate Podcast! This week, join hosts Ed Easton and Andrew Nason in the chocolate yurt as they dive into the fascinating world of polyphenols - mysterious compounds frequently associated with the health benefits of dark chocolate. Discover what polyphenols are, how they work to protect both plants and humans, and why dark chocolate is deemed the king of...

Welcome to another deliciously informative episode of 'We Need to Talk About Chocolate'! Join us as we delve into the essential skills and secrets of melting chocolate to perfection. Hosted by chocolate aficionado Ed Easton, and featuring the expertise of renowned chocolatier Paul from Melt Chocolates, this episode covers everything you need to know to avoid common pitfalls and achieve that luxuri...

In this episode of We Need to Talk About Chocolate , Ed and Andrew tackle one of the most misunderstood ingredients in modern nutrition: fat . From the low-fat craze of the 90s to today’s ultra-processed “health” swaps, we’ve been taught to fear fat - while quietly eating more sugar than ever. We discuss what the secret tasty ingredient inside chocolate is - cacao butter - the naturally occurring...

Welcome to We Need to Talk About Chocolate, the podcast where writer and lifelong chocoholic Ed Easton, and amateur chocolate historian Andrew Nason of Melt delve into the complex world of taste. This episode we discuss Ed's and Andrew's weeks of sugar consumption, the differentiation between sweet and bitter tastes, and the impact of these flavours on health. We explore the nature of bitterness,...

You walk into a supermarket thinking you’re making choices. You’re not. This week, writer and journalist Ed Easton and Melt Chocolates founder Andrew Nason pull apart a “normal” shopping basket — crisps, chocolate bars, cereal, sauces… even dog treats — and reveal the illusion of choice behind ultra-processed food. We trace how a small group of mega-brands quietly covers every aisle, why modern fo...

What happens when you stop eating? In this episode of We Need to Talk About Chocolate , writer and journalist Ed Easton and Melt Chocolates founder Andrew Nason attempt a fast - and immediately discover how differently the human body (and mind) can respond. Andrew completes a six-day water fast. Ed… doesn’t make it past a missed meal. But this isn’t about willpower, weight loss, or internet “bioha...

Chocolate or alcohol? The god of cocoa or the god of wine? In this episode of We Need to Talk About Chocolate , journalist and writer Ed Easton and Melt Chocolates founder Andrew Nason leave the yurt and enter the kitchen - to stage a full-scale showdown between two of humanity’s oldest and most beloved drugs. Ed is promoted to Bacchus , god of wine. Andrew becomes the Chocolate God . And together...