As We Eat Epicurean Creative

Dig into the seedy underbelly of the food world, where corporate titans wage secret wars over seemingly innocent products like eggless mayonnaise and hot coffee. From multi-million dollar legal battles to covert smear campaigns, this episode exposes the cloak-and-dagger tactics used by Big Food to protect profits - even if it means burning victims along the way. Get a tantalizing taste of the crimes and deception lurking behind your favorite eats.
The Seedy Underbelly of Food & Crime
You may think your innocent morning coffee or favorite sandwich spread is just that - innocent. But the food world has a dark side full of corporate espionage, legal battles, and covert smear campaigns. Get ready to explore the sinister side of your everyday eats.
Eggless Mayonnaise Sparks War
In 2014, an upstart vegan company dared to make a plant-based mayonnaise alternative called Just Mayo. Industry titan Unilever (maker of Hellmann's) wasn't having it, suing to prevent them representing the products as "mayo" since it contained no eggs.
But the scandal went deeper than a simple labeling dispute. The American Egg Board, a USDA-sanctioned organization, secretly hired bloggers to promote pro-egg messaging and create anti-Just Mayo online ads. Emails even discussed plans to publicly "hit" the Just Mayo founder.
This mayonnaisemelee shows how far Big Food will go to protect its turf - using underhanded tactics that seem better suited to cloak-and-dagger spies than sellers of sandwich spreads.
The Hot Coffee Burning Truth
In the 1990s, an elderly woman named Stella Liebeck was severely burned by McDonald's coffee that was served at a stunningly-high 180-190°F. She sued, initially asking for just $20,000 in expenses, but the case ballooned into a multi-million dollar punitive damages award.
The media painted Liebeck as merely an opportunistic litigant. But the truth reveals McDonald's knew its coffee caused serious burns. The truth of Liebeck's burns and medical costs were glossed over as the public mocked her award.
Years later, the hot coffee case demonstrates how large corporations control the narrative through selective reporting - distorting a victim's reality to protect their practices.
Corporate Espionage or Savvy Business?
With billions at stake, it's no surprise that major food players will go to great lengths to maintain dominance and squash threats. From funding shadowy PR campaigns to manipulating public perception, the cases of Just Mayo and McDonald's hot coffee give a glimpse into the darker side of the food industry.
But are these simply savvy business moves to protect assets and brands? Or have companies crossed ethical lines better suited to the world of spies and criminals than honest food purveyors? Decide for yourself as you hear the full fascinating story on the latest Food & Crime episode of the As We Eat Podcast.
Transcript
🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

From daring bootleggers to shocking corporate misdeeds and culinary espionage we uncover the criminal underbelly of oleo misadventures. 
Crimes Against Butter and the Margarine Misdeeds
Who knew that something as innocent as butter could ignite a war between industries and the public? The latest episode of the As We Eat podcast dives into the criminal underbelly surrounding a popular butter alternative.
Behind butter's sunny, wholesome facade lies a sordid tale of deception, bootlegging, and brazen lawbreaking - all thanks to an unlikely culprit: margarine. What began as a cheap butter alternative took an illicit turn as opponents of the "oleo" spread resorted to smear campaigns and oppressive legislation.
The Oleomargarine Act and the Birth of Butter Bootleggers
In 1886, the dairy lobby strong-armed the federal government into passing the Oleomargarine Act, imposing a hefty tax to cripple the margarine industry. Little did they know, this move would give rise to a daring new breed of criminal: the butter bootlegger.
Much like the legendary rum-runners of Prohibition fame, underground networks sprung up to smuggle the "golden bars" of margarine across state lines. Daring housewives turned interstate traffickers, risking fines and imprisonment in their quest for the forbidden spread.
As the margarine wars escalated, congress continually ratcheted up regulations. Some states outright banned the sale of margarine - yeah, you read that right. In response, the underworld adapted, employing stamp counterfeiting and other chicanery to peddle their illicit wares.
Ultimately, the oppressive measures backfired spectacularly. World wars and economic turmoil only increased margarine's popularity with the working class. But the skirmishes left a trail of oleomargarine offenders in their wake, their "crimes against butter" immortalized alongside legendary mobsters and gangsters.
Consumer Protection to Modern Misdeeds
While the margarine saga highlights the unintended consequences of excessive regulation, it also underscores the vital need for laws to protect consumers from unscrupulous practices and public health threats.
The 1906 Pure Food and Drug Act aimed to safeguard the public by prohibiting adulterated and misbranded foods and landmark court cases cemented definitions and standards.
These laws continue protecting us today from corporate greed, food adulteration, and new frontiers of malfeasance like culinary espionage. One thing's for sure: after hearing these sordid tales of Food & Crime, you'll never look at your butter dish the same way again.
Books We Think You’ll Enjoy Reading
Butter: A Rich History by Elaine KhosrovaPurchase: Bookshop.org OR AmazonSheboygan County Connection IV: From Vollrath Zoo to Wisconsin's Margarine Wars by Sheboygan County Historical Research Center Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine by Mark Twain, Phillip C. Stead, Erin Stead (illustrator) Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon Transcript
🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Unveiling the Dark Side of Love: Food & Crime
In the lavish courts of 17th century France, where opulence danced hand in hand with intrigue, one woman held sway over the hearts of the elite. Her name was Catherine Monvoisin, but history remembers her as La Voisin, a figure shrouded in mystery and infamy. Join us as we peel back the layers of deception and delve into the dark kitchen of La Voisin, where love potions mingled with poison, and scandal brewed like a potent elixir.
Love Potions Through the Ages: From Myth to Reality
Love potions have long been the stuff of legend, weaving their way through the tapestry of human history from ancient civilizations to modern times. In cultures across the globe, tales of magical elixirs and enchanted foods have captured the imagination, from Shakespearean comedies to Greek myths of Aphrodite's charms. But in 17th century France, the line between myth and reality blurred as nobles sought to manipulate love and desire through clandestine means.
The Affair of the Poisons: A Scandal Unveiled
The Affair of the Poisons cast a shadow over the glittering court of Louis XIV, revealing a web of intrigue that ensnared the highest echelons of society. It began with whispers of conspiracy and culminated in a series of sensational trials that shocked the nation. At its heart was La Voisin, a woman accused of selling not only love potions but also deadly concoctions meant to secure power and influence. As the truth emerged, the very foundations of the monarchy trembled, and the boundaries between magic and reality blurred.
The Legacy of Love Magic: Then and Now
As we peer into the annals of history, we glimpse a world where love and power collided in a deadly dance. Yet even as the echoes of the past fade into memory, the allure of love magic persists. From ancient rituals to modern-day spells, humanity's quest for agency over matters of the heart endures. In an age where pheromones mingle with perfumes and love potions grace the pages of Teen Vogue, the legacy of La Voisin lives on, a testament to the enduring power of desire.
Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode
Ravaisson, Francois. Archives de la Bastille by François Ravaisson, 1870–1874, volume VI.The Aftermath: La Voisin, Alarmist podcastLa Voisin, France’s Murderous Fortune Teller, SyFyThe Scandalous Witch Hunt That Poisoned 17th-Century France, Altas ObscuraCatherine Monvoisin And The Affair Of The Poisons, Headstuff
Books We Think You’ll Enjoy Reading
The Affair of the Poisons: Murder, Infanticide, and Satanism at the Court of Louis XIV by Anne SommersetPurchase: Amazon Louis XIV and the Affair of the Poisons: A Play in Five Acts by Victorien SardouPurchase: Bookshop.org Strange Revelations: Magic, Poison, and Sacrilege in Louis XIV's France by Lynn Wood MollenauerPurchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon 
Transcript
🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧

How far would you go in the pursuit of love or personal gain?


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Come with us on a journey of deadly liberation as a popular apothecary brews a recipe for freedom, liberating over 600 women from abuse at the hands of those who should have protected them. 
Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode
A Woman to Know: Giulia Tofana
Guilia Tofana: World’s Most Dangerous Apothecary 
The Role of Women During the Italian Renaissance 
Books We Think You’ll Enjoy Reading
If you’re an enjoy reading Gregory Maguire or a historical fiction fan, I think that you will enjoy Deborah Swift’s trilogy about our heroine/devious serial killer, Giulia Tofana. This is historical fiction so much imagination was applied. 
The Poison Keeper by Deborah SwiftPurchase: Amazon The Silkworm Keeper by Deborah SwiftPurchase: Amazon The Fortune Keeper by Deborah SwiftPurchase: Amazon Transcript
🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Indulge your senses and delve into the dark world of food and crime in our latest episode. Join us as we unravel the chilling tale of Christiana Edmunds, forever etched in history as the Chocolate Cream Killer of Brighton. From obsession to poisonings, this Victorian-era saga will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning the thin line between love and madness. Tune in to explore the enduring question of what drives a person to such lengths in the pursuit of affection, and the unsettling legacy left behind.
Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode
The Case of the Chocolate Cream Killer: The Poisonous Passion of Christiana Edmunds by Kaye Jones Christiana Edmunds wikipedia The Case of the Chocolate Cream Killer: The Poisonous Passion of Christiana Edmunds, Women’s History Network ‘A Genteel Murderess’ – Christiana Edmunds and the Chocolate Box Poisoning, The Gale ReviewBooks We Think You’ll Enjoy Reading
The Case of the Chocolate Cream Killer: The Poisonous Passion of Christiana Edmunds by Kaye JonesPurchase: Amazon The Poisoner's Handbook: Murder and the Birth of Forensic Medicine in Jazz Age New York by Deborah BlumPurchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon Transcript
🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Welcome to Season 4 of the As We Eat podcast, where we'll be delving into the intersection of Food & Crime, unearthing fascinating stories from history. Today, we journey back to 19th century Paris, France, to uncover the enigmatic tale of Marie Lafarge, a young woman whose life took a dark turn amidst the backdrop of privilege and deception.
In this episode, we explore Marie Lafarge's journey from a background of aristocratic privilege to a scandalous trial for the alleged poisoning of her husband, Charles Lafarge. We uncover the twists and turns of this captivating saga, shedding light on the complexities of justice and forensic science in the 1800s.


Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations