Carob (Entry 188.MA0106)
Summary
Hosts Ken and John are joined by guest Krista to explore the history of carob, tracing its origins from ancient Mediterranean uses to its role in 19th-century health movements and 1980s hippie culture. They discuss how carob was marketed as a healthy, caffeine-free chocolate substitute before being overshadowed by chocolate’s romanticized image. The episode concludes with a taste test of various carob products and a speculation on carob’s potential as a climate-resilient food source for the future.
Topics discussed
Introduction: Time capsule entry and Gen X nostalgia
Health food stores and the 19th-century reform movements
Silas Graham, vegetarianism, and the origins of graham crackers
John Harvey Kellogg and the invention of corn flakes
Sponsor segment: Quince clothing and home goods
The rise of diet culture and calorie counting in the 1920s
The history of carob: From biblical times to California
Hippie culture, macrobiotics, and the carob boom of the 1980s
Tasting carob bars and the decline of carob's popularity
Conclusion: Future prospects for carob and show credits
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