In this special episode, Aaron Harries speaks with renowned food historian Rachel Laudan about the deep roots of wheat in human civilization. Growing up on a farm near Stonehenge, Rachel’s unique background—combined with her expertise in history, science, and philosophy—provides a rich and thoughtful perspective on how wheat shaped the rise of empires, economies, and everyday life. Rachel unpacks how early humans learned to transform difficult, scratchy seeds into food, why processing grain was historically women's labor, and how wheat became the backbone of global nutrition and political power.
From ancient metates in Mesoamerica to the industrial roller mills of the 19th century, this conversation dives deep into the story of how wheat evolved from a wild seed to a symbol of civilization. Rachel also sheds light on the politics of white bread, the muscle power of grain grinders, and how wheat’s utility in food security shaped empires from Rome to modern America.
