As a brief announcement, this morning we lost a beloved member of the Delicious History family, my dog Worf. He died as he lived: courageously and in the company of loved ones.By Dave Militello

We all like to eat, but some of us REALLY like to eat. And some of us like to eat so much that we cause the downfall of an entire imperial dynasty. If that's you, you're in good company: with Roman Emperor Vitellius! Find out more on this episode of Delicious History!By Dave Militello

Now that we've gone well over 10,000 listeners, it's time to take a peak behind the microphone. In this special bonus episode, find out more about the brains (if you can call it that) behind the show, how it came to be, how it's made and where it's going! Thank you so much for listening and being a part of the growth of this special community!…

This week on Delicious History on Vacation, we take you to the enchanting city of Venice, Italy. But this great city was built on the back of something quite small: spices. Peppercorn trade in particular took paupers and made them into princes, like Romano Mairano, the subject of this week's episode. Find out more on this episode of Delicious Histo…

You may not have realized it, but I'm actually an audio professional. Having worked for multiple agencies as an audio engineer and podcast producer, I'm off on my own and accepting clients! For more information, email me at Dave@davemilitello.com.By Dave Militello

Most people like spice and flavor in their food, but are they willing to kill for it? Saffron is by far the most expensive spice in the world, and although it's fallen in and out of favor in the West throughout history, people have always gone to great lengths to get their hands on it. This week, as we're visiting the historic city of Milan, Italy,…

For a lot of us, Nestle is a company that's given us chocolate, coffee and other pick-me-ups over the years. But what if something sinister was being planned in their Swiss boardrooms? This week, we're in Montreux, Switzerland, just one train stop away from Vevey, the world headquarters of Nestle. Find out how infant formula got Nestle in plenty of…

Marie Antoinette is one of the most famous figures in European history and with one of the most famous quotes: Let them eat cake! What exactly did that mean and, more importantly, did she actually even say this at all? Find out while Dave is in the Louvre, getting to the bottom of one of history's mysteries!…

D-Day was the largest and arguably most important military operation in history. The planning, preparation and sacrifice needed to make it a success is almost unimaginable. Despite this, there was one man who played a much bigger role in that victory than he gets credit for. Juan Pujol Garcia, a failed chicken farmer, made a chance connection with …

Have you wondered why bananas are so cheap? Spoiler alert: the answer isn't good. Entities like the United Fruit Company had a nasty habit of taking advantage of low-wage workers, working them under the worst of conditions to sell cheap fruit back in foreign countries. But what happens when the workers fought back? Spoiler alert: the answer isn't g…

The Spanish were known for cash cropping throughout their empire. When sugar and rice crops ended up requiring more labor, they turned to a dark option: slavery. While the establishment of the Atlantic slave trade led to the suffering and death of millions of innocent victims, a group of 23 marooned slaves in Esmeraldas, Ecuador found an opportunit…

Hello and welcome back! Delicious History is coming back with a vengeance, and this time it's personal! For this season, we'll be on the road, talking about some of the most important ways food has affected history on location! Starting in Ecuador, we'll take you to Colombia, Spain, France, Switzerland, a whole lot of Italy and ending up in New Yor…

Who doesn't like a good story from Down Under? When the Australian government tried to kill two birds with one stone by helping World War I vets grow large amounts of wheat, they never anticipated the third bird: more than 20,000 emus. Find out how farmers in Western Australia and the military got in over their heads with the Great Emu War!…

Continuing with our theme of food and Italian fascism, we discuss how Futurists set the stage for the new political changes that were about to come. While most of Europe was starting to see their colonialist policies as something of a relic of the past, Italians felt that they had to catch up. How would they get the public on board? The only way th…

When you think of Italian food, the first thing that probably comes to mind is pasta. But the truth is that Italian is extremely diverse and that diversity has played a huge part in its development, especially during the fascist regime of Mussolini. This week we are joined by special guest Dr. Diana Garvin, professor of Italian studies at the Unive…

There's no denying it: American politics are weird. They make no sense and people have been trying to change it for years. Something as simple as the food a candidate eats on the trail can change history. From Garbage Plates in Rochester to crab cakes in Maryland and even tamales in Texas, what a candidate eats and how they eat it can make all the …

Look who's back! After going over the structure of the late Bronze Age in our last episode, we go over what toppled the house of cards that had been set up for centuries. What finally did it in? Was it the Sea People, food shortages or just own poor planning? We talk about that and more in this week's episode!…

We've reached a point where we need to catch up on our research to make sure that we can present the highest quality information possible. So, we'll be taking a month's break. But don't worry! We're upgrading our gear, bringing in guests and making Delicious History better than ever!By Delicious History

While so many of us are worried about the world ending now, we forget that it already ended...about 3,000 years ago! The fall of the Bronze Age was one of the most historical events in the history of the world, forming much of what was to come. But how did it happen and how was food involved? Tune in to this week's episode to find out!…

Putting our focus on Europe, how did coffee upset the social and political systems of the 17th and 18th centuries. Plus, what did that have to do with the United States or Haiti? Find out why rulers such as Charles II and Frederick the Great were so keen on outlawing coffee within their borders and why you should thank your morning brew for creatin…

Coffee might just be the best part of waking up, but did you know it played a huge role politically since the moment it came on the scene? In this episode of Delicious History, we go over how coffee made a splash in the Islamic world, causing governers and sultans from Mecca to the Ottoman Empire to ban it and even execute its drinkers!…

When we think of the stereotypical witch, perhaps a tall hat, broomstick and bubbling cauldron might come to mind. But what if we were to tell you that almost everything you associate with witches was originally just anti-feminist propaganda? In this episode, we go over the witch scares of Europe and how they moved across the ocean to the most infa…

Some concepts come up again and again with the types of stories we tell on this show. Instead of explaining that every time they come up, the Foundational Series episodes will be referenced to fill in the background. You know what that means: less time with boring chatter and more of the interesting stories you've come to expect! In this episode, w…

Absinthe was one of the defining features of late 19th century Paris, but according to many, it had a horrifying effect on the people who drank it. Find out the connection between a bitter green drink and the War on Drugs on this episode of Delicious History!By Delicious History

We once again visit the theme of weaponized mad honey, but instead of focusing on Rome, we go to Middle Ages Ukraine. In this show, we talk about one of the unsaintliest saints to every saint: Olga of Kiev. How did she use mad honey to exact her revenge? Tune in and find out!By Delicious History

The Japanese Empire had a shaky start, with tens of thousands of sailors and soldiers dying of a mysterious disease known as Kakke. How did they overcome it and what role did white rice play in the mystery? Find out on this episode of Delicious History!By Delicious History

How is it possible that one of the greatest fighting forces in the world came toe-to-toe with bee food and lost? In our first full episode, we'll be discussing "mad honey" and the effects it had on Pompey the Great's armies.By Dave Militello

If you're looking to see what this show is all about and who's running things behind the scenes, look no further! This trailer will give a brief rundown of what to expect and when to expect it.By Delicious History