The 21st Show

Chocolate’s complicated cultural history

 
A tray of chocolate eggs with protective face masks are laid out on a tray at the Chocolate Line warehouse of Dominique Persoone in Bruges, Belgium.

A tray of chocolate eggs with protective face masks are laid out on a tray at the Chocolate Line warehouse of Dominique Persoone in Bruges, Belgium. AP Photo/Virginia Mayo

For the last part of today’s show, we talked about chocolate, its cultural history, and how it turned into the global force it remains today. There will be a team of researchers at the University of Reading in the United Kingdom focusing on that subject for the next four years. As it happens, that work will be led by a scholar based right here in Illinois.

She joined The 21st to talk about the surprisingly complicated history of the sweet treat.

GUEST:

Kathryn Sampeck

Professor of Anthropology, Illinois State University; Recipient of the British Academy Global Professorship

 

 

 

Prepared for web by Owen Henderson

Help shape our coverage on The 21st by joining our texting group and answering weekly questions. To join, text “TALK” to 217-803-0730 or sign up with your phone number below: