The Story Of... Food

In this informative and entertaining episode, Rosie Lovell, together with fellow culinary travellers from around the world, venture on a voyage to discover the phenomena behind the making of and popularity of cheese.

First discovered in China in 2723 BC, tea is grown and produced in more than 40 countries worldwide and is the world s most widely consumed beverage after water. Join Rosie Lovell and her fellow hosts, Peter Gordon, Bobby Chinn, Merilees Parker, Holly Morris, Megan McCormick, Ben O Donaghue and Jonathan Atherton as they embark on a journey across the globe to discover the story behind tea and tea drinking. Taste different teas with world class specialists in London, visit a Fujian tea market in South East China, savor some of the most reputable teas in the world, partake in elaborate tea ceremonies in China and Japan, and visit tea plantations in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Malaysia.

We reveals how our love affair with chocolate began in Southern Mexico and Central America, where people living deep in the tropical rainforests discovered the edible properties of Theobroma cacao, referred to as the food of the gods.

We discover the phenomena behind coffee and coffee consumption. Coffee grows in the 'Bean belt', an area between the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn, in Asia, Africa, Central and South America, the islands of the Pacific and the Caribbean.

The discovery of the bean in Ethiopia more than a thousand years ago, its journey into Arabia where it became a drink favoured among Moslems, and then to the growing number of coffee houses in the Ottoman Empire.

Discover the origins of beer consumption where evidence dating back as early as 10,000BC reveals beer being drunk in the Middle East and ancient Egypt.

The Story of Spice conjures images of tempting culinary arts, fascinating travels to faraway lands, bitter struggles for supremacy and the rise and fall of empires.

Discover the extraordinary journey of the world's most delectable addiction. Kate embarks on this voyage of discovery meeting historian author Dr.Matthew Green to learn about the origins of sugar.

The tradition of eating beef has passed down generations to become an integral part for many of our regular diets. By providing precious protein, packed with fatty calories beef has come be regarded as an important ingredient for human survival. Along with fellow presenters from around the world, this informative and entertaining episode joins Kate Comer on a voyage to discover the extraordinary journey behind the world’s favorite red meat.

Ramadan is heralded by the sighting of the month’s new moon and closes in the same fashion. It is capped with a celebration known as Eid-Ul-Fitr. Selfless, humbling and edifying, it is no surprise that Ramadan stands as one of the five great pillars of the Islamic faith.