The Hungry Historian

Send us Fan Mail"This war, like the next war, is a war to end war." - David Lloyd George, Prime Minister of England (1916)Oh, how wrong Prime Minister David Lloyd George was. 1916 stands as one of the most devastating and defining years of the First World War. It was a year where industrialized warfare reached a grim new peak, and entire landscapes were transformed into symbols of endurance and loss.In this episode, the Hungry Historian is joined by his longtime heterosexual life mate, Mr. Ryan Harrison, and they dive deep into two of the most infamous battles in human history: Verdun and the Somme. At Verdun, the German strategy aimed not just at victory, but at bleeding France dry. What followed was a brutal, grinding struggle that lasted nearly the entire year. It became an unrelenting test of will, where the French army, under the rallying cry “Ils ne passeront pas” (“They shall not pass”), fought to hold the line at any cost.Meanwhile, on the Somme, British and French forces launched a massive offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun and break the stalemate on the Western Front. Instead, it became synonymous with the horrors of trench warfare. From the catastrophic first day to the introduction of new technologies like the tank, the Somme revealed both the futility and the frightening evolution of modern war.Together, these battles encapsulate the essence of 1916: attrition on an unimaginable scale, courage in the face of relentless firepower, and the tragic human cost of a war with no quick end in sight.Join the Hungry Historian and Mr. Harrison as they explore the strategies, the leadership, and the soldiers’ experiences that defined this pivotal year, and examine how Verdun and the Somme came to symbolize the endurance, sacrifice, and devastation of the Great War.As for a Featured Recipe, Chef Money has stopped by to offer up the perfect accompaniment to your next Sunday roast dinner. Something that he has been calling "Somme de Terre". Cheers!Featured RecipeSomme de Terre 8 medium to large starchy potatoes (Yukon gold, russet, gala)1 TBSP olive oil½ Cup of butter – cut into small cubes1 cup of chicken stockSprigs of fresh thymeSalt and pepper to taste** Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips are available within the episode!**

Send us Fan Mail"We are the Dead. Short days agoWe lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie, In Flanders fields." - Lt-Col John McRae1915 was meant to be a brief detour on the road to victory. Instead, it became the year the war showed its teeth.On this episode, The Hungry Historian takes listeners deep into the second full year of the First World War. It was the year when early optimism rotted away in the trenches and the conflict hardened into something far more brutal, far more modern, and far more unforgiving. What began as a war of movement stalled into a grinding contest of endurance, where nations learned just how much blood and steel industrial society could produce. 1915 was the year trenches became permanent, civilians became targets, and new weapons reshaped the battlefield in terrifying ways. It was a year of catastrophic offensives, desperate gambles, and political decisions made far from the front lines. Across Europe and beyond, the war widened, dragging empires, colonies, and entire populations deeper into the abyss.Join The Hungry Historian as the war becomes a machine, and the world learns the cost of feeding it.As for feeding you, Chef Money is cooking up a Featured Recipe based on one of the larger talking points of 1915, the Shell Shortage. Hope you're ready to make some Shells of your own!Cheers!ShellsIngredients•18 to 20 jumbo pasta shells•2 cups of your favourite Marinara Sauce •5 to 6 fresh spinach• 2 cups ricotta cheese•(At least) ¼ cup grated parmesan, plus for garnish •(At least) 2 garlic cloves, grated •1 teaspoon dried oregano•1 teaspoon lemon zest •1 teaspoon chili pepper flakes•Sea salt•Fresh ground black pepper •Chopped fresh parsley, for serving

Send us Fan Mail"We are about to engage in a battle on which the fate of our country depends...the moment has passed for looking at the rear...Troops that can advance no farther must, at any price, hold the ground they have conquered and die on the spot rather than give way." - General Joseph Joffre, Order of the Day - September 5th, 1914.In the summer of 1914, Europe stood at the height of its confidence. Empires were wealthy, technology was advancing at a breathtaking pace, and many believed that war, if it came at all, would be brief, controlled, and cleansing. When a gunshot rang out in Sarajevo, few imagined it would ignite a global conflict. Yet within weeks, diplomatic miscalculations, rigid alliances, and decades of simmering tension dragged the continent into war. What followed was not the heroic struggle so many expected, but the opening act of a catastrophe that would reshape the modern world.On this episode, the Hungry Historian examines the opening months and battles of the First World War. Follow along as we go over the rush to mobilization, the confidence of generals and politicians, the grand strategies meant to deliver swift victory, and the belief that speed and offensive spirit would decide the conflict.Instead, these first battles revealed a grim new reality. On the Western Front, mass armies collided with machine guns and heavy artillery, producing casualties on an unprecedented scale. On the Eastern Front, sweeping movements and unexpected defeats shattered assumptions about both Russian weakness and German invincibility.As 1914 unfolded, the war exposed the brutal power of industrialized violence. Soldiers marched off amid cheering crowds, only to find themselves trapped in landscapes of fire, mud, and fear. By the end of the year, the world had changed. The war that began with optimism and illusion ended 1914 in stalemate and shock, with millions dead or wounded and no clear path forward. This episode explores how those early months set the tone for the rest of the First World War, and why 1914 stands as the moment when the old world finally broke apart.Never one to disappoint, Chef Money has traded in his jacket for a bartender apron and is bringing you a featured recipe inspired by today's episode and one of the premier weapons of the First World War - The French 75.Cheers!The French 75Champagne or Sparkling WineGinLemon JuiceSimple Syrup** Featured Recipe directions are available within the show or on the exclusive Instagram account of The Hungry Historian - @hungry_historian.

Send us Fan Mail“The coming of the wireless era will make war impossible, because it will make war ridiculous.” - Guglielmo Marconi, 1912Long before the first shots were fired in August 1914, Europe had been quietly preparing for disaster. In this episode, join the Hungry Historian as he traces the tangled web of events, ambitions, and anxieties that pushed the continent towards the brink of total war. From the rise of nationalist movements to colonial rivalries, from shifting alliances to the dangerous confidence of military planning, we examine how a seemingly stable world was actually balancing on a fault line.We’ll explore the diplomatic crises that nearly sparked conflict years earlier, the growing public appetite for confrontation, and why leaders repeatedly chose escalation over compromise. The assassination at Sarajevo may have lit the fuse, but this episode reveals just how long that fuse truly was.Follow along as we unravel the political pressures, human miscalculations, and cultural forces that transformed a regional crisis into a global catastrophe, setting the stage for the most devastating war the world had ever seen.As for a featured recipe, Chef Money is stopping by with the perfect addition to your next sandwich making adventure, and one that is inspired by the leaders of the First World War. You won't want to miss out on this recipe for "Kaiser Rolls"!Cheers!Kaiser RollsIngredients:White bread flourYeastEggSoftened ButterSugarSaltCold MilkPoppy SeedsSesame Seeds** Featured Recipe amounts and directions are available within the show or on the official Instagram page of The Hungry Historian.**

Send us Fan Mail"In fourteen years Leopold has deliberately destroyed more lives than have suffered death on all the battlefields of this planet for the past thousand years..." - Mark TwainIn this episode of The Hungry Historian, we dive into one of the darkest and most disturbing chapters of colonial history: the reign of King Leopold II over the Congo Free State. What began as a supposed humanitarian mission quickly descended into a brutal system of forced labour, mutilation, and terror. All orchestrated to satisfy one monarch’s insatiable appetite for wealth and influence.Follow along as the Hungry Historian discusses the tactics Leopold used to disguise exploitation as philanthropy, explore the violent machinery of the rubber trade, and follow the courageous voices who dared to expose the truth to the world. From Henry Morton Stanley’s expeditions to the global humanitarian campaign that eventually forced change, this episode unravels the layers of greed, deception, and suffering that defined the Congo under Leopold’s rule.Join the Hungry Historian as he examines how this grim period reshaped international activism, challenged Europe’s imperial conscience, and left behind a legacy Congo continues to confront today.As far as a Featured Recipe goes, this time around Chef Money is switching out his cooking apron for his bartender one, and presenting you with his spin on a classic bar shooter - the Black Russian Trust me, you'll need one or two of them following this tale of terror. It is not for the faint of heart.Cheers!Featured RecipeBlack Belgian2 ounces of Vodka1 ounce of KahlúaIceRocks glass

Send us Fan MailHistory isn’t just the tale of kings and queens, of armies and empires. It’s also the story of how we’ve suffered, how we’ve punished, and how far humanity has gone to make death a spectacle.In this Halloween special, The Hungry Historian ventures into the blackest corners of the past. To the places where execution was an art form, and pain was meant to echo. From the slow scrape of the blade to the crack of the rope, from ingenious devices of torment to punishments so vile they were outlawed even by tyrants, this episode is a grim reminder that cruelty is as old as civilization itself.You’ll hear about deaths meant not just to end life, but to send a message. The tools, the theatre, the terrifying imagination behind them. Ritualized agony. Sanctified suffering. Justice twisted into horror.Across centuries and continents, we’ll unearth stories that reveal what happens when power, vengeance, and fear collide. A place where death becomes performance. These are the moments history tried to forget… but the screams still linger.So dim the lights, pour yourself something strong, and settle in. Because tonight, The Hungry Historian isn’t serving comfort, nor is he in the pursuit of a goodnight story. Tonight, he is serving carnage.⚠️ Listener discretion is very much advised. This one isn’t for the faint of heart.Available now wherever you get your podcasts.Cheers!Ratcliffe's Colonial CatchIngredients:5 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded1 can unsweetened coconut milk⅓ cup fresh lime juice⅓ cup dry white wine1 ½ tablespoons Thai red curry paste1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic1 tablespoon Fish sauce1 tablespoon white sugar2 cups chopped fresh cilantro*Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips available within the show

Send us Fan Mail"If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he's dead, then maybe he was a great man." - James DeanBefore he was a legend frozen in time, James Dean was a small-town boy with a hunger for something greater. In this episode, The Hungry Historian explores the brief but blazing life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons. Follow along through his humble beginnings in Indiana to his meteoric rise in 1950s cinema, as Dean captured the restless spirit of a generation. This, before his sudden and tragic death in September 1955.We’ll trace his path through East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant; delve into the cultural storm he helped ignite; and examine how his untimely death transformed him from actor to myth. Decades later, James Dean remains more than a name. He’s an idea, a symbol of youth, rebellion, and the eternal chase for meaning under the glare of fame.When it comes to Featured Recipes, this one is coming at the PERFECT time, for Canadians at least. You will definitely want to add Chef Money's "James Dean's Green Beans" to your upcoming Thanksgiving feast.Cheers! James Dean's Green BeansIngredients:2 lbs of fresh Green Beans, washed and chopped1 cup Green Onions, washed and chopped1 Lime, zested and juiced1 tbsp Soy Sauce(at least) 2 cloves of Garlic, minced1 tsp White Sugar1/2 tsp Sea Salt1 tbsp Vegetable Oil1 tsp Chili Oil1 tsp toasted Sesame Seeds (optional)** Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips are available within the show or on the official Instagram account of The Hungry Historian (@hungry_historian)

Send us Fan Mail"The men were simply mown down. They advanced in lines which seemed to melt away under the enemy’s fire." — British officer reflecting on the Battle of LoosIn this episode join The Hungry Historian as he turns back to September 1915 and the bloody fields of northern France to examine the Battle of Loos. Often overshadowed today by the Somme and Passchendaele, Loos was nonetheless a watershed moment in Britain’s First World War experience. It marked the first large-scale use of poison gas by British forces, the baptism of fire for Kitchener’s New Army of volunteers, and a clash that revealed the deep rifts between Britain’s military leaders, most notably the strained relationship between Generals Haig and French.Follow along with The Hungry Historian as he explores the strategies and missteps, the personal accounts from soldiers in the trenches, and the sheer human cost of a battle where bravery was too often met with futility. From the hope of a breakthrough to the harsh reality of stalemate, Loos remains a powerful reminder of the sacrifices made and the lessons learned during the early years of the Great War.As for today's Featured Recipe, Chef Money is stopping by to give you a quick and easy recipe for the most classic of sides inspired by a character in today's tale - General French FriesCheers!General French FriesIngredients 5-6 large potatoes2 TBSP of olive oil1 tsp garlic powder2 TBSP corn starchsalt and pepper to taste ** Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips available within the show!

Send us Fan Mail"Assassination has never changed the history of the world." - Benjamin DisraeliFrom Abraham Lincoln’s fateful night at Ford’s Theatre, to the near-misses that almost changed the course of American politics forever, presidential assassinations and assassination attempts have left lasting marks on the nation’s history. In this episode, join the Hungry Historian as he dives into the stories behind the tragedies, close calls, and how these moments of violence reshaped presidencies, altered legacies, and tested the resilience of American democracy.As a Featured Recipe, Chef Money is coming at you with an Italian classic thats been inspired by one of the President’s featured in today's episode. A dish that he has been calling "Garfield's Lasagna".Cheers!Garfield's Lasagna Ingredients:Ground beefItalian sausageCanned tomatoes Tomato pasteStock/white wineOven ready lasagna noodlesMarble cheeseMozzarella ParmesanRicottaOnionGarlicBasilOreganoChili flakesOne eggOlive oilTinfoilParsley *optional**Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips available within the show 

Send us Fan Mail“Travellers intending to embark on the Atlantic voyage are reminded that a state of war exists between Germany . . . and Great Britain . . . and that travellers sailing in the war zone on ships of Great Britain or her allies do so at their own risk.” - German Advertisement the day the Lusitania set sailOn May 7th, 1915, the British ocean liner RMS Lusitania was torpedoed and sunk by a German U-boat off the coast of Ireland, killing nearly 1,200 people. The disaster unfolded at a pivotal moment in World War I, when submarine warfare was transforming the rules of naval conflict and blurring the line between civilian and military targets.Join The Hungry Historian, as he explores the Lusitania’s role as a passenger liner, a wartime symbol, and—potentially—a vessel carrying contraband munitions. Come along as he examines the German rationale for the attack, Britain’s wartime policies, and the controversy over what exactly lay in the ship’s cargo holds.Dive deeper into the tragedy itself, and consider the broader impact: how the sinking influenced international opinion, intensified debates over American neutrality, and became one of the most consequential maritime disasters of the 20th century.As a Featured Recipe, Chef Money is stopping by with his latest culinary creation and one from the depths of his own recipe rolodex. This time, it'll be your diet that'll "set sail" after you get a taste of the Chef's "Chocolate Mousse-itania."Cheers!Chocolate Mousse-itaniaIngredients:3 eggs, separated⅓ cup granulated sugar2¼ cups heavy whipping cream divided7 oz semi-sweet chocolate finely choppedwhipped cream – garnishchocolate shavings – garnish slice of orange or zest – garnishraspberries - garnish**Featured Recipe directions and Chef Tips available within the show**