Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio - podcast cover

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio

Milk Street Radiowww.177milkstreet.com

Every week, Milk Street Radio travels the world to find the most fascinating stories about food—a detective who tracks down food thieves and a look inside the most famous (and often scandalous) restaurant kitchens—and interviews with culinary icons such as José Andrés, Padma Lakshmi, Jacques Pépin, and Marcus Samuelsson. And on Milk Street Radio you can always find the unexpected: the comedian who ranks apples using an elaborate 100-point system, the scientists who study if vegetables have souls, and the journalist who reveals the world’s 10 biggest food lies. We also answer our listeners’ cooking questions, find out how to make the perfect cup of coffee, and share how to eat your way through Italy.

Episodes

The Unsinkable José Andrés Feeds the World

José Andrés returns to tell us how he feeds millions with World Central Kitchen. Plus, he reveals his secret ingredient for chicken stock and his special method for cooking eggs. Also on this week’s show: silversmith Andreas Fabian takes an artist's look at spoons and "spoonness"; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette uncover the language of restaurants; and we share our favorite new way to make cakes with our recipe for Brazilian-Style Chocolate-Glazed Carrot Cake. Get the recipe for Brazilian-Styl...

Mar 29, 202450 min

The Automat: The Amazing Story of America's Five-Cent Cafeteria

Before McDonald’s or KFC, there was the Horn and Hardart Automat—a cafeteria-style restaurant where you could buy everything from creamed spinach to lemon meringue. This week, filmmaker Lisa Hurwitz tells us the story of the rise and fall of the Automat—with a little help from Mel Brooks. Plus, Emiko Davies takes us to Venice’s favorite wine bars; we whip up Greek Meatballs with Tomato Sauce; and Dan Pashman makes the case for a better vegetable sandwich. (Originally aired May 27th, 2022.) Get t...

Mar 22, 202450 min

Jamie Oliver Is a Decent Bloke! Getting to Know the Real Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver has been on your TV for over 20 years, but how well do you really know him? This week, Jamie Oliver returns to Milk Street Radio and we get up close and personal! Plus, flavor scientist Arielle Johnson shares the unexpected ways she uses prosciutto and olives; J. Kenji López-Alt reveals his ultimate breakfast; and we divulge our new favorite spin on chicken soup, Korean Hand-Torn Noodle Soup with Chicken. Get the recipe for Korean Hand-Torn Noodle Soup with Chicken here. Get Jamie O...

Mar 15, 202451 min

Pink Margarine?! America's Greatest Food Fight

99% Invisible’s Chris Berube shares margarine’s secret history—from Supreme Court battles to Eleanor Roosevelt’s advertising campaign—and why in some states you could only buy margarine that was dyed pink or black. Plus, we learn about snacks from around the world with Unsnackable’s Folu Akinkuotu; Dan Pashman tells us what there is to love about canned foods; and we make Brazilian-Style Pizza. (Originally aired April 15, 2022.) Get the recipe for Brazilian-Style Pizza Carbonara here . Listen to...

Mar 08, 202451 min

10 Biggest Food Lies

Tamar Haspel of the Washington Post is here to share 10 truths about food that nobody wants to believe. From diet soda to organic vegetables to farm-fresh eggs, nothing is sacred. Plus, Amanda Herbert brings us inside history’s wildest dinner parties; Adam Gopnik reveals what your drink of choice says about you; we make Thai Coconut and Chicken Soup; and Cheryl Day returns to take your baking calls. Get the recipe for Thai Coconut and Chicken Soup here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share...

Mar 01, 202451 min

Jet Tila’s 101 Thai Dishes to Cook Before You Die

This week: Jet Tila on Thai food. He tells us about real Thai sriracha, what it takes to make the world’s largest stir-fry and why working at his family’s market sometimes meant visiting the set of “Star Trek.” Plus, we explore the wild world of cooking manga with Deb Aoki; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette tell us what food you’re obsessed with if you’re a turophile; and we make one of Brazil’s signature meat stews. (Originally aired March 25th, 2022.) Get the recipe for Brazilian Black Bean St...

Feb 23, 202451 min

BEE-lieve It or Not! Bees Count, Dream and Even Recognize You

Bees solve puzzles, have distinct personalities and play with balls like a puppy. Zoologist Lars Chittka reveals amazing new discoveries about the mind of a honeybee and what a bee’s consciousness means for us humans. Plus, we investigate the mysterious phenomenon of bee heists; Sylvan Mishima Brackett, chef-owner of Rintaro, shares the secrets to perfect hot spring eggs and ruby grapefruit jelly; Alex Aïnouz searches for the perfect paella; and we bake Basque Country’s burnished cheesecake. Get...

Feb 16, 202451 min

The Nigella Show!

This week, we interview Nigella Lawson. We discuss what’s to love about brown food, what’s to hate about tasting menus and what everyone gets wrong about cooks. For Valentine's Day, we explore the life of chocolatier Milton Hershey, make a decadent Dark Chocolate Terrine with Coffee and Cardamom, and take your baking questions with Cheryl Day. Plus, Dan Pashman gets us ready for the Super Bowl with a definitive guide to eating chicken wings. (Originally aired February 10th, 2023.) Get this week’...

Feb 09, 202451 min

Desperately Seeking the Perfect Peach: Love and Loss on a Family Farm

Alice Waters thinks David Mas Masumoto’s peaches could change the world. Today, Masumoto shares his search for the perfect peach and the shocking family secret that changed the history of his farm. Plus, we chat with Nichole Accettola about Scandinavian baking, from cinnamon knots to rye bread, and we learn the language of strawberries. We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredients or unexpected techniques with us for a chance to hear yourself on Milk Street Ra...

Feb 02, 202451 min

Matty Matheson: Catfish Noodling and Making “The Bear”

This week, we get inside the mind of Matty Matheson, actor and producer on the hit TV comedy “The Bear.” Matheson reveals his thoughts on internet stardom, what it takes to open five restaurants in two years and why “The Bear” stands alone in the food TV genre. Plus, we peer into the illicit history of rum-running on Long Island with Amy Kasuga Folk; Adam Gopnik considers the act of fasting; and we make Cinnamon Sugar Yogurt Doughnuts from Romania. (Originally aired January 26th, 2023.) Get this...

Jan 26, 202451 min

Supermarket Confidential: Inside Trader Joe's, TV Dinners and 2024 Food Predictions

This week, it’s our episode all about grocery stores. Writer Benjamin Lorr shares stories from Trader Joe’s and the rise of the superstore. Plus, Andrea Hernández, founder of Snaxshot, reveals her food predictions for 2024 and author Jeff Swystun explains how TV dinners changed the world. We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredients or unexpected techniques with us for a chance to hear yourself on Milk Street Radio! Here's how: https://www.177milkstreet.com/ra...

Jan 19, 202451 min

The Tongue Cutters: In Norway, Kids Cut Cod Tongues for Love and Money

In the fishing villages of Norway, kids as young as five enter the workforce as professional cod tongue cutters. Documentary filmmaker Solveig Melkeraaen tells us why kids slice up this delicacy, plus we meet former tongue cutter Ylva Melkeraaen Lundell, who explains how she mastered this skill—and how lucrative this job can be. Also on the show: Journalist Kenji Hall embarks on a quest across Japan to find the world’s best rice; Adam Gopnik goes to the movies; and we dress up a steak salad with...

Jan 12, 202451 min

Eat, Drink, Read: Dwight Garner's Obsession with Word and Table

We’re joined by New York Times book critic and author Dwight Garner. He presents food quips from his favorite writers, as well as John Updike’s lunch routine and Hunter S. Thompson’s party tricks. Plus, anthropologist Manvir Singh helps us digest the world of “meat-fluencers” and their all-meat diets; A Way with Words give credit to the Old Norse words lingering in our kitchens; and we prepare a Pakistani-Style Chicken Biryani. Get this week’s recipe for Pakistani-Style Chicken Biryani here . We...

Jan 05, 202451 min

Jacques Pépin: The Art of The Chicken

This week, we’re celebrating French cuisine. Jacques Pépin offers a masterclass in deboning chicken and recalls his early days tending the coal stove at the Plaza Athénée. Plus, Aleksandra Crapanzano provides tips for effortlessly Parisian cakes; Alex Aïnouz puts a very French spin on the classic American burger; and we learn how to make Chickpea Flour Flatbread. (Originally aired September 30th, 2022.) Get this week’s recipe for Chickpea Flour Flatbread here . We want to hear your culinary tips...

Dec 29, 202351 min

Holiday Cookies with Rose Levy Beranbaum

This week, we’re getting ready for the holidays. Rose Levy Beranbaum shares everything we need to know about baking cookies—from favorite equipment and core techniques to her ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. Plus, we go to Oaxaca to experience the Night of the Radishes with Gabriel Sanchez; Dan Pashman invents a “Hanukkah Miracle” sandwich; Cheryl Day answers your holiday baking questions; Chris shares his favorite books of the year; and we make a show-stopping Triple Crème Cheesecake with...

Dec 22, 202351 min

Holiday Baking Special: Belgian Favorites, Santa History and Baking Problems Solved!

This week, we visit Belgium for holiday baking and festivities with Regula Ysewijn. Plus, we learn about a Welsh tradition that happens on the darkest days of winter, our friends from “A Way with Words” teach us old holiday drinking songs, we make Czech-style kolaches (a sweet cheese- and jam-filled pastry), and Cheryl Day returns to take your baking calls. Get this week’s recipe for Kolaches here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredients or unexpected te...

Dec 15, 202351 min

Great Britain Road Trip: Ottolenghi, Baking for the Queen and Millionaire's Shortbread

In this special episode, “The Great British Bake Off” winner Nadiya Hussain shares her hack for bread pudding and what happened when she baked for the queen of England. Plus, pastry chef Caroline Schiff tells us about her favorite treats and her time at St. Andrews; we visit a bar in London that was once an underground public loo; we chat with Yotam Ottolenghi about keeping it simple; and Angela Hui tells the story of growing up in her family’s Chinese restaurant in Wales. This special episode o...

Dec 13, 202352 min

Best Cookbooks 2023: Plus, Charging Friends for Dinner and Pierre Thiam on “Simply West African”

This week, Pierre Thiam will change the way you cook with his secrets for mafé (peanut sauce), Senegalese barbecue and his favorite ingredient, fonio. Plus, journalist Jen Doll helps explain a puzzling new trend of dinner party hosts charging their friends; Adam Gopnik and Christopher Kimball reveal their favorite food books of 2023; and we make Pasta Rotolo with Spinach and Ricotta. Get this week’s recipe for Pasta Rotolo with Spinach and Ricotta here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share...

Dec 08, 202351 min

The Baker Who Made Julia Child Cry: Nancy Silverton's Recipes Will Change Your Life

Nancy Silverton is here to make you a better baker. She tells the story about the time she made Julia Child cry on TV and the very best way to make cornbread, angel food cake and more classic desserts. Plus, Joan De Jesus explains the wine world’s biggest trend right now, natural wines; J. Kenji López-Alt shares his secrets for cooking salmon at home; and we make Korean Stir-Fried Chicken with Rice. Get this week’s recipe for Korean Stir-Fried Chicken with Rice here . We want to hear your culina...

Dec 01, 202351 min

Big Night: Stanley Tucci Eats Hollywood

Stanley Tucci shares his life through food—on- and off-screen. He takes us behind the scenes of “Big Night” and “Julie & Julia," reveals why catering on an Italian movie set is surprisingly bad and recounts dining disasters with Meryl Streep. Plus, Dr. Jennifer Mathews uncovers the secret history of chewing gum, from the Aztecs to Dubble Bubble; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette reveal the origin of the couch potato; and we whip up plush yogurt flatbreads from Crete. (Originally aired Novemb...

Nov 24, 202352 min

Thanksgiving Special: Turkey Hotline, Pies, Mashed and a Rogue Turkey!

Our Thanksgiving special is here! Jet Tila returns to take your calls, Dan Pashman constructs the ultimate plate, Rossi Anastopoulo reveals the secret history of pie in America, our Milk Street culinary team gives mashed potatoes a makeover, and we hear what Jacques Pépin, Carla Hall, Dorie Greenspan, and more friends are looking forward to on Thanksgiving Day. Plus, we share the shocking story of a turkey that antagonized an entire city. Click here for The Many Ways Milk Street Makes Mashed Pot...

Nov 17, 202352 min

Madhur Jaffrey: Sucking Mangoes and Chewing Bones

Madhur Jaffrey joins us and shares memories from mountain picnics in the Himalayas, her favorite way to enjoy a mango and stories from her career as a film and food star. Plus, we make Turkish-Style Flaky Flatbreads and journalist David Johns tries to find out—could ice cream actually be good for you? Get this week’s recipe for Turkish-Style Flaky Flatbreads here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredients or unexpected techniques with us for a chance to he...

Nov 10, 202351 min

Mofongo, Pinchos and Campbell’s Soup: The True Story of Puerto Rican Food in the Diaspora

Illyanna Maisonet takes us on a culinary journey through Puerto Rico and its diaspora. She reveals the secrets to her guava barbecue sauce, the only flan she’ll ever eat and the best way to cook rice. Plus, Kim Severson tells us about the rise of salvage food stores, we make Aguachile Negro, and Adam Gopnik asks—what do we do when our favorite places close? (Originally aired October 21, 2022.) Get this week’s recipe for Mexican-Style Shrimp in Chili-Lime Sauce here. We want to hear your culinary...

Nov 03, 202351 min

The Poison Garden: Is Alnwick Castle Trying to Kill You?

We venture inside the Alnwick Poison Garden to find the world’s most dangerous plants––including some common fruits and vegetables with a sinister side. Guide Tom Pattison takes us on a tour and offers up tales of deadly accidents, hallucinogenic honey and the case of the Curry Killer. Plus, Tristan Donovan reveals how soda changed the world, Dan Pashman reimagines breakfast cereal, Cheryl Day tackles your baking dilemmas, and we make Upside-Down Cardamom-Spiced Plum Cake. Get this week’s recipe...

Oct 27, 202351 min

The Secrets of Cooking Fish with Eric Ripert

This week, we get a seafood masterclass from one of the world’s greatest chefs, Eric Ripert. He also explains why sauce is the hardest technique to master and reflects on the moment he decided to change the way he ran Le Bernardin. Plus, Milk Street’s science editor, Guy Crosby, joins us to answer our most pressing food science questions, and we uncover the true origins of Chicken Kyiv. Get this week’s recipe for Chicken Kyiv here . We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, s...

Oct 20, 202351 min

Granny Smith Is Vile and Wretched! Apple Tasting Reveals Shocking Reviews

This week, your favorite apples get ranked, mercilessly . Find out which apples comedian Brian Frange deems “horse food” and “indigestible filth,” and which crisp, glorious apples rise to the top of the heap. Plus, reporter Katie Thornton joins us to discuss the history and ingenuity of the Frankfurt Kitchen, the blueprint for space-saving kitchen design; Adam Gopnik revels in the alchemical wonder of stovetop cooking; and we make Indian-Spiced Smashed Potatoes. Get this week’s recipe for Indian...

Oct 13, 202351 min

From Doro Wat To Jollof Rice: Marcus Samuelsson On The Rise Of Black Cooking

We chat with chef and TV host Marcus Samuelsson about his childhood in Ethiopia, his adoption by Swedish parents and the rich complexity of the Black experience in America, from cooking to culture. Plus, Joe Berkowitz reveals secrets from the little-known world of cheesemaking; Bianca Bosker gives us a history lesson on the humble fork; and we make hearty Soupe au Pistou. This episode is brought to you by Sleep Number and King Arthur Baking. Get this week’s recipe for Soupe au Pistou here . We w...

Oct 06, 202351 min

Holy Foods: Food Myths and Marvels from Cults, Communes and Religious Sects

Christina Ward, author of “Holy Food,” reveals why Pythagoras and his followers never ate beans, the religious movement that helped invent fake meat and Little Debbie, and why food and faith are so closely linked. Plus, Clarissa Wei transports us to Taiwanese kitchens and the Raohe Night Market; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way with Words” peel back the mysteries of the onion; and we make Beef Bulgogi. Get this week’s recipe for Beef Bulgogi here . We want to hear your culinary tips! ...

Sep 29, 202351 min

The Dog-Eat-Dog World of Ballpark Vendors

Nick Fountain from NPR’s “Planet Money” shares the skills and strategy it takes to sell food at the ballpark. Plus, chef Angela Dimayuga gives us a crash course in Filipino flavors and techniques; we learn about the language of eating outdoors with Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette; and we make Swedish Cardamom Buns. (Originally aired October 14, 2022.) Get this week’s recipe for Swedish Cardamom Buns here. We want to hear your culinary tips! Share your cooking hacks, secret ingredients or unexp...

Sep 22, 202351 min

Is Pad Thai for Real? Investigating The Truth About National Dishes

Did you know that pad Thai was invented less than a hundred years ago? And that pizza became popular across Italy only after it was embraced in the United States? This week, we’re joined by author Anya von Bremzen to discuss the unlikely origins of some of the world’s most famous national dishes, from pot-au-feu in France to borscht in Ukraine. Plus, we crack the case on wine fraud with journalist Rebecca Gibb; Dan Pashman de-influences school lunch; and we prepare Thai Salad Rolls. Get the reci...

Sep 15, 202351 min