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"In fourteen years Leopold has deliberately destroyed more lives than have suffered death on all the battlefields of this planet for the past thousand years..." - Mark Twain

In this episode of The Hungry Historian, we dive into one of the darkest and most disturbing chapters of colonial history: the reign of King Leopold II over the Congo Free State.

What began as a supposed humanitarian mission quickly descended into a brutal system of forced labour, mutilation, and terror. All orchestrated to satisfy one monarch’s insatiable appetite for wealth and influence.

Follow along as the Hungry Historian discusses the tactics Leopold used to disguise exploitation as philanthropy, explore the violent machinery of the rubber trade, and follow the courageous voices who dared to expose the truth to the world.

From Henry Morton Stanley’s expeditions to the global humanitarian campaign that eventually forced change, this episode unravels the layers of greed, deception, and suffering that defined the Congo under Leopold’s rule.

Join the Hungry Historian as he examines how this grim period reshaped international activism, challenged Europe’s imperial conscience, and left behind a legacy Congo continues to confront today.

As far as a Featured Recipe goes, this time around Chef Money is switching out his cooking apron for his bartender one, and presenting you with his spin on a classic bar shooter - the Black Russian

Trust me, you'll need one or two of them following this tale of terror. It is not for the faint of heart.

Cheers!

Featured Recipe

Black Belgian

• 2 ounces of Vodka
• 1 ounce of Kahlúa
• Ice
• Rocks glass

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History isn’t just the tale of kings and queens, of armies and empires. It’s also the story of how we’ve suffered, how we’ve punished, and how far humanity has gone to make death a spectacle.

In this Halloween special, The Hungry Historian ventures into the blackest corners of the past. To the places where execution was an art form, and pain was meant to echo.

From the slow scrape of the blade to the crack of the rope, from ingenious devices of torment to punishments so vile they were outlawed even by tyrants, this episode is a grim reminder that cruelty is as old as civilization itself.

You’ll hear about deaths meant not just to end life, but to send a message. The tools, the theatre, the terrifying imagination behind them. Ritualized agony. Sanctified suffering. Justice twisted into horror.

Across centuries and continents, we’ll unearth stories that reveal what happens when power, vengeance, and fear collide. A place where death becomes performance. These are the moments history tried to forget… but the screams still linger.

So dim the lights, pour yourself something strong, and settle in. Because tonight, The Hungry Historian isn’t serving comfort, nor is he in the pursuit of a goodnight story.

Tonight, he is serving carnage.

⚠️ Listener discretion is very much advised. This one isn’t for the faint of heart.

Available now wherever you get your podcasts.

Cheers!

Ratcliffe's Colonial Catch

Ingredients:

• 5 pounds fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 1 can unsweetened coconut milk
• ⅓ cup fresh lime juice
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 1 ½ tablespoons Thai red curry paste
• 1 ½ tablespoons minced garlic
• 1 tablespoon Fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 cups chopped fresh cilantro

*Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips available within the show

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"If a man can bridge the gap between life and death, if he can live on after he's dead, then maybe he was a great man." - James Dean

Before he was a legend frozen in time, James Dean was a small-town boy with a hunger for something greater. In this episode, The Hungry Historian explores the brief but blazing life of one of Hollywood’s most enduring icons.

Follow along through his humble beginnings in Indiana to his meteoric rise in 1950s cinema, as Dean captured the restless spirit of a generation. This, before his sudden and tragic death in September 1955.

We’ll trace his path through East of Eden, Rebel Without a Cause, and Giant; delve into the cultural storm he helped ignite; and examine how his untimely death transformed him from actor to myth.

Decades later, James Dean remains more than a name. He’s an idea, a symbol of youth, rebellion, and the eternal chase for meaning under the glare of fame.

When it comes to Featured Recipes, this one is coming at the PERFECT time, for Canadians at least. You will definitely want to add Chef Money's "James Dean's Green Beans" to your upcoming Thanksgiving feast.

Cheers!

James Dean's Green Beans

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs of fresh Green Beans, washed and chopped
• 1 cup Green Onions, washed and chopped
• 1 Lime, zested and juiced
• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce
• (at least) 2 cloves of Garlic, minced
• 1 tsp White Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
• 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 1 tsp Chili Oil
• 1 tsp toasted Sesame Seeds (optional)

** Featured Recipe directions and Chef tips are available within the show or on the official Instagram account of The Hungry Historian (@hungry_historian)