As Marie Antoinette definitely once said: Let them serve 💅🏼 cake. In our first standalone episode in literal months, Julia and Nicole talk about what this episode is NOT about, the historical layers of cake, and the popcorn crimes of Mary Hamilton Talbott. Join us from our flying kitchen as we answer two of life's greatest questions: what is cake, and is it gay?

Our theme song is "Red Onions" by Louie Zong, off of his album Vegetable Soul: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/vegetable-soul

We're on Instagram @girlslunchpod. Nicole's website is nicolehylton.com. Have an episode suggestion or question? You can email us at girlslunchpodcast@gmail.com and we will add it to our chaotic list of future episode subjects.

Sources:

• On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, by Harold McGee

• Cake: A Global History, by Nicola Humble

• "History of bread and cakes," The History of Food, by Maguelonne Toussaint-Samat (p. 223-246)

• Nectar and Ambrosia: An Encyclopedia of Food in World Mythology, by Tamra Andrews (p. 52-54)

• Lynne Olver, foodtimeline.org

• "Cake Mixes: CU's consultants tasted and examined ready-mix cakes to find which brands were best," Consumer Reports, September 1953 (p. 385-7)

• What is Queer Food? How we Served a Revolution, by John Birdsall

• "News of Food," New York Times, November 17, 1949 (p. 39)

• Popped Culture: A Social History of Popcorn in America, by Andrew F. Smith

We're back for the chocolate-coated conclusion of our Hershey series! Picking back up at the turn of the 20th century, Nicole and Julia chronicle the Hershey Company's history through the Great Depression, two World Wars, and (spoilers) the death of its founder and beloved candy man Milton Hershey. They also ponder the ethics of extreme wealth, chocolate as patriotism, the Hershey Company's relationship with the US government, and (of course!) wacky marketing. Don't fill up on your Ration D starvation chocolate—this episode is CHOC-full (hehe) of cool cocoa trivia!

Our theme song is "Red Onions" by Louie Zong, off of his album Vegetable Soul: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/vegetable-soul

We're on Instagram @girlslunchpod. Nicole's website is nicolehylton.com. Have an episode suggestion or question? You can email us at girlslunchpodcast@gmail.com and we will add it to our chaotic list of future episode subjects.

Links to Sources:

• The Hershey Story Museum, Hershey, PA

• The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars, by Joël Glenn Brenner

• Hershey, by Michael D'Antonio

• "Hershey's Kisses Chocolates," Hershey Community Archives

• "Ration D Bars," Hershey Community Archives

• Honeywell Kitchen Computer Advertisement, Neiman Marcus Catalog, scan courtesy of Wikimedia

Milton Hershey was not always a chocolate man. But he was, for most of his adult life (and his teens) a candy man. And in his journey from confectioner to chocolatier, Milton had his fair share of oopsies. (By our count, at least three failed business ventures and one mental breakdown.) But thankfully, for those of us in the present who enjoy his chocolate (and his theme park!) Milton Hershey also had some really clutch women in his corner who helped him keep going. Join Nicole and Julia in this exploration of Milton Hershey's early life and the founding of Hershey's Chocolate. We'll also take a brief step into the conching room (iykyk) to see how chocolate is made and put some respect on the names of the women that made Hershey what it is today.

Our theme song is "Red Onions" by Louie Zong, off of his album Vegetable Soul: https://louiezong.bandcamp.com/album/vegetable-soul

We're on Instagram @girlslunchpod. Nicole's website is nicolehylton.com. Have an episode suggestion or question? You can email us at girlslunchpodcast@gmail.com and we will add it to our chaotic list of future episode subjects.

Links to Sources:

• The Hershey Story Museum, Hershey, PA

• The Emperors of Chocolate: Inside the Secret World of Hershey and Mars, by Joël Glenn Brenner

• Hershey, by Michael D'Antonio

• "Hershey and Dandelion Media to Unwrap Founder's Story in Upcoming Major Motion Picture "HERSHEY," Set for 2026 Release" Press Release

• The Dispenser's Formulary, Soda Fountain Publications: New York, 1925