Stephanie Li and Chris Thomas travel around China in search of the best recipes and techniques for their YouTube channel Chinese Cooking Demystified. Today we learn the secrets to perfect fried rice, how to cook with chopsticks and why the best KFCs are in China. Plus, Abigail Koffler helps us navigate food in the metaverse; we make Mexican-Style Corn with Chili and Lime; and Adam Gopnik cries tears of joy. (Originally aired June 24, 2022.) Get the recipe for Mexican-Style Corn with Chili and Li...
Sep 08, 2023•51 min
This week, we’re exploring Italy’s best recipes and stories. Leah Koenig brings us inside the Roman Jewish kitchen for fried artichokes as crisp as potato chips, a cherry pie that has a secret and the beef stew that made her break vegetarianism. Plus, Katie Parla gives us a tour of Italian island cuisine, Matt Goulding infiltrates the secret society that reigns over Neapolitan pizza, Viola Buitoni reveals a surprising use for balsamic vinegar, and we make Rome’s “dirty” pasta, Rigatoni alla Zozz...
Sep 01, 2023•51 min
We chat with Great British Bake Off judge and author of “BAKE” Paul Hollywood about the best and worst parts of his job, his secret to perfect scones and what a bin lid is—and why it's so delicious. Plus, journalist Alex Beggs tells us about cookbooks for pets; J. Kenji López-Alt takes wok cooking outdoors; and we make Spicy Chinese Beef Skewers. (Originally aired July 22, 2022.) Get the recipe for Spicy Chinese Beef Skewers here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, se...
Aug 25, 2023•51 min
Is it possible to become better at tasting—to enjoy dinner, wine and your favorite bourbon even more? This week, Mandy Naglich, author of "How to Taste," shares secrets from competitive tasters and food scientists. Plus, Meathead tells us his favorite tips, tools and techniques for grilling this summer; Adam Gopnik unearths an old cookbook collection; and we make Turkish Rice Pudding. Get the recipe for Turkish Rice Pudding here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, sec...
Aug 18, 2023•51 min
We are traveling back in time with chef Sohla El-Waylly, host of “Ancient Recipes with Sohla.” We learn how to make Roman cheesecake, fish head aspic and Mary Todd Lincoln’s white almond cake. Plus, Maggie Hennessy breaks down the hottest trends in restaurant names, from animals to ampersands; Lynn Clark makes Korean spicy chilled noodles; and Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette dig into a slice of language pie. (Originally aired July 15, 2022.) Get the recipe for Korean Spicy Chilled Noodles . We...
Aug 11, 2023•51 min
Cowboys work hard—which means they need to be fed well. This week, hear how ranch cook Kent Rollins feeds cowboys out of his chuck wagon, serving up his famous coffee, steaks and “burger dogs.” Plus, Tove Danovich introduces us to Mike the Headless Chicken, as well as her brood of mail-order chickens and their complex emotional lives; Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett of “A Way with Words” make lemonade out of lemon idioms; and we prepare a Tomato Salad with Peanuts, Cilantro and Chipotle-Sesame...
Aug 04, 2023•51 min
Sam Fore, the chef behind the pop-up Tuk Tuk Sri Lankan Bites, tells us about the similarities between Sri Lankan and Southern cuisine. Plus, Analiese Gregory teaches us how to hunt and forage in the wilds of Tasmania, Dan Pashman tells us about his mission to create a new pasta shape, and we learn how to make the Portuguese Sponge Cake known as pão de ló. (Originally aired April 2, 2021.) Get this week's recipe for Portuguese Sponge Cake here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your coo...
Jul 28, 2023•51 min
Falcons are smart, fast and lethal––but they can also be a farm’s greatest defense against losing an entire harvest. Master falconer Alina Blankenship tells us about protecting fields of grapes and blueberries with her flock of highly-skilled birds, from the falcon that operates like a jet-fighter to the hawk that patrols crops like a bouncer. Plus, Kim Severson reports on Gen Z’s “milk shame” and what the dairy industry is trying to do about it; Alex Aïnouz pursues perfect creme brûlée; and we ...
Jul 21, 2023•51 min
This week, we chat with TikTok star and expert forager Alexis Nikole Nelson about the most delicious weeds in your backyard, the joys of mushroom jerky and her cross-country journey to make seaweed panna cotta. Plus, Kevin Fortey takes us inside the competitive world of giant vegetable growing, J. Kenji López-Alt reveals the secret to perfect French fries, and we make Italian Flourless Chocolate Torta. (Originally aired August 12, 2021.) Get this week's recipe for Italian Flourless Chocolate Tor...
Jul 14, 2023•51 min
Adam Savage of “MythBusters” fame joins us to break down his favorite food experiments, including the time he dropped an Olympic swimmer into a giant vat of syrup. Plus, reporter Rebecca Rosman investigates America Week at a popular French grocery store; J. Kenji López-Alt cracks the code on Chicago thin-crust pizza; and we travel to Rome for Cloud Bread. Get the recipe for Roman Cloud Bread with Mixed Greens and Fennel Salad here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, s...
Jul 07, 2023•51 min
On this Fourth of July, baker Stacey Fong shares highlights from her 50 States/50 Pies project, which includes odes to Nevada’s all-you-can-eat buffets, West Virginia’s pizza rolls and Tennessee icon Dolly Parton. Plus, live-fire cooking expert Genevieve Taylor reveals show-stopping tips for your backyard barbecues; Dan Pashman debates the finer points of ketchup and mustard; and we dress up charred pineapple with spiced honey and coconut ice cream. (Originally aired July 1, 2022.) Get the recip...
Jun 30, 2023•51 min
This week, we share stories from the world of fine dining. Maître d' Michael Cecchi-Azzolina has encounters with mobsters, fainting celebrities and unruly guests at New York’s top restaurants and reveals the secrets to great service. Writer Geraldine DeRuiter sits down for the world’s strangest Michelin-starred meal: She eats rancid cheese, slurps foam out of a ceramic mouth and is forced to watch the kitchen staff play extreme sports. Plus, historian Rebecca Spang uncovers the invention of the ...
Jun 23, 2023•51 min
Literary scholar Rebecca May Johnson earned her PhD studying Homer’s Odyssey, but now she’s analyzing a new kind of text: Marcella Hazan’s tomato sauce recipe. Johnson reveals how studying a recipe isn’t all that different from studying Ancient Greek, and what you can learn from cooking the same recipe a thousand times. Plus, Hetty McKinnon celebrates vegetables and her father's legacy in her latest cookbook, Tenderheart ; Kenji López-Alt and Chris close out their egg-peeling debate with help fr...
Jun 16, 2023•51 min
Experimental psychologist Charles Spence introduces us to gastrophysics, the science of how the brain melds color, smell and sound to create powerful multisensory taste experiences. Plus, Nicola Twilley investigates the rise of alternative sugars; Alex Aïnouz goes on a hunt for the ultimate knife; and we offer a recipe inspired by Tel Aviv’s Shlomo & Doron, where hummus gets a Mexican twist. Get the recipe for Hummus with Chipotle Black Beans and Tomato Salsa here . We want to hear your culi...
Jun 09, 2023•51 min
This week, we taste the sweeter side of Mexican cuisine with chef Fany Gerson. Traveling from Mexico City to Veracruz to Oaxaca, we explore regional confections like chili-flavored paletas and guava and cheese doughnuts. Plus, we take a seat at the Noir Bar with writer and television host Eddie Muller, who infuses classic cocktails with a cinematic twist; Martha Barnette and Grant Barrett of “A Way With Words” unpack the history hidden in your spice cabinet; and we prepare a very crispy Korean F...
Jun 02, 2023•51 min
This week, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, the husband-and-wife team behind London’s Honey & Co., tell us about chasing the smell of smoke through the alleyways of Jordan and the markets of Egypt in search of the secrets of grilled food in the Middle East. Plus, pizza consultant Anthony Falco shares tips for making great pizza at home, Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette explain why we say “soup to nuts,” and we learn to make Honey & Co.’s recipe for Almond-Coconut Cake with Cherries an...
May 26, 2023•51 min
Jefferson ate capon, Eisenhower craved squirrel soup and Grant had a habit of throwing bread across the table. This week, we go into the White House with Alex Prud’homme to hear culinary stories from presidential history, like how Julia Child charmed her way into a state dinner and why Eleanor Roosevelt may have used Jell-O salad to get revenge on FDR. Plus, the late Raghavan Iyer reflects on curry, Indian cuisine and his legacy as a culinary educator; Alex Aïnouz experiments with AI in the kitc...
May 19, 2023•51 min
We’re joined by baker Claire Ptak, whose desserts are a winning combination of California flavor and London style—and even royalty agrees. She shares her favorite recipes and reveals the behind-the-scenes details of being chosen to bake the cake for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding. Plus, Rowan Jacobsen crash-lands into the Amazon for an up-close look at wild cacao harvesting; Adam Gopnik revisits his mother’s sourdough bread; Cheryl Day answers your toughest baking questions; and we mak...
May 12, 2023•51 min
Fermentation expert Sandor Katz takes on a journey around the globe for a look at some of the world’s greatest fermented foods. He tells us about the joys of making sauerkraut and why fermentation may hold the secret to life. Plus, cookbook author Kristina Cho guides us through classic Chinese baking at home, J. Kenji López-Alt shows us how to reinvent leftover mashed potatoes, and we learn to make Japanese-style curry. (Originally aired on January 14th, 2022.) Get the recipe for Japanese-Style ...
May 05, 2023•51 min
Investigative journalists Doug Frantz and Catherine Collins take us inside the farmed salmon industry to explore the open net pens, health effects and future of America's favorite fish. Plus, Homa Dashtaki shares the traditional Iranian method for making creamy old-world yogurt; Dan Pashman invites us to a picnic; and we make Thai hot and sour soup. Get the recipe for Thai Hot and Sour Soup with Chicken and Mushrooms here . Take the Milk Street Listener Survey here . We want to hear your culinar...
Apr 28, 2023•51 min
Palestinian cookbook author Reem Kassis discusses her latest cookbook, “The Arabesque Table,” which takes a fresh look at defining Arab cooking. Plus, we learn how food is used to create Hollywood sound effects, discover what people 80 years ago thought food would look like today and make pasta sauce out of tomato paste. (Originally aired on April 9th, 2021.) Get the recipe for Pasta with Tomato, Garlic and Basil here . Take the Milk Street Listener Survey here . We want to hear your culinary ti...
Apr 21, 2023•51 min
We’re joined by death scholar Candi K. Cann to learn how food is used in grieving rituals around the world, from ancient Roman funeral tubes to shiva bagels. Plus, we dive into the murky riverbeds of Oklahoma to get a crash course in catfish noodling from Bradley Beesley; J. Kenji López-Alt battles Chris over the best way to peel an egg; and we make a No-Fry Neapolitan Eggplant Parmesan. Get the recipe for No-Fry Neapolitan Eggplant Parmesan here . “Eating Together” by Li-Young Lee, courtesy of ...
Apr 14, 2023•50 min
Dr. Samuel West is back to teach us about history’s greatest food failures, from Colgate’s frozen meals to the time Gerber made food for grown-ups. Plus, Massimo Montanari helps us uncover the true history of spaghetti; J. Kenji López-Alt tells us how to make the most perfect scrambled eggs; and we bake Chocolate Olive Oil Cake. (Originally aired on April 22nd, 2022.) Get the recipe for Chocolate Olive Oil Cake here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredien...
Apr 07, 2023•51 min
This week, we explore our most essential pantry staple: salt. Naomi Duguid takes us around the world to learn its history, from Cambodia to Basque Country to an underground salt cathedral in Poland, while Alex Aïnouz gets obsessed with making gourmet salt in his lab. Plus, writer Doug Mack tells the odiferous details of the Great Midwest Cheese Duel of 1935, and we make Hungarian Paprika-Braised Potatoes. Get the recipe for Hungarian Paprika-Braised Potatoes here . We want to hear your culinary ...
Mar 31, 2023•51 min
Are humans the only species that loves sour? Does everyone taste bitter the same way? And could there be flavors we can’t even comprehend yet? Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott from NPR’s “Short Wave” join us to explore the amazing science of taste, from the mysteries of salt to why dolphins can’t taste sweet. Plus, chef Khanh-Ly Huynh shares Vietnamese street food from Paris; Adam Gopnik investigates what it takes to become a culinary maestro; and we go to Bangkok for Thai Cashew Chicken. Get the rec...
Mar 24, 2023•51 min
We go beyond soda bread and shepherd's pie to discover the new Irish cooking with chef Jp McMahon. We discuss why the Irish ate very little seafood, how leftover cake was turned into a new dessert, the joys of frying with animal fat and the best way to cook any vegetable. Plus, we chat with Dan Pashman about the perfect ice cube; we discover the magic of crispy pasta; and the New Yorker’s Burkhard Bilger asks: Can babies learn to love vegetables? (Originally aired on March 13, 2020.) Get the rec...
Mar 17, 2023•51 min
Chef Omar Tate has spent the last few years building a grocery cafe in West Philadelphia that reimagines the corner store. He tells us how he interprets Black culinary traditions with menu items like hoagies and black-eyed pea scrapple, and why he thinks our neighborhoods no longer feel like communities. Plus, mixologist Neal Bodenheimer shares cocktails from New Orleans, J. Kenji López-Alt offers a new way to use leftover scallions, and we make gnocchi out of flour, not potatoes. Get the recipe...
Mar 10, 2023•51 min
YouTube coffee expert James Hoffmann shares the best, worst and weirdest coffee in the world—from his tried-and-true recipe for the ultimate cup at home to the time he tasted 70-year-old beans in Japan. Plus, Don and Petie Kladstrup tell us the story of the man who taught America to love Champagne; we make Beef Chili Colorado Tacos; and Adam Gopnik discusses the greatest food debates of our time. Get the recipe for Beef Chili Colorado Tacos here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your c...
Mar 03, 2023•51 min
Angela Hui tells the story of her childhood growing up in her family’s Chinese restaurant—there are flaming woks, short tempers and zero privacy. Plus, we’re joined by journalist Jenn Harris to learn how influencers are making their mark on the restaurant industry; Alex Aïnouz speeds up beef bourguignon; and we make Italian Wedding Soup. Get this week’s recipe for Italian Wedding Soup here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredients or unexpected techniques...
Feb 24, 2023•51 min
Mother and daughter Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams tell us what studying the cooking of four generations of women in their family has taught them about the origins of soul food. Plus, we speak with international bagel consultant Beth George; Dan Pashman explores cold-weather cocktails; and we make pesto out of lemon zest, not basil. (Originally aired on February 19th, 2021.) Get this week’s recipe for Spaghetti with Lemon Pesto here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your c...
Feb 17, 2023•51 min
