Kara Newman explains The Secret Financial Life of Food on this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past. Linda Pelaccio invites Kara into the studio to talk about her book and the history of food commodities. What foods are traded on the commodity market, and how did commodity markets develop? Hear about the role of “the Butter & Egg Man” in food history and society, and learn about urban development in relation to food trading. How do commodity prices affect prices in the supermarket? How did items like pork belly and onions almost take down the Chicago Mercantile Exchange? Find out on this week’s installment of A Taste of the Past! This program has been brought to you by Fairway Market.

“In terms of what makes for a commodity from a food perspective- either it’s important for our survival, or something that we hold close to us emotionally.” [11:30]

“The butter and egg man was the modern Wall Street hotshot.” [14:25]

— Kara Newman on A Taste of the Past