Savor
Savor digs into how people live and how they eat – and why. Hosts Anney Reese and Lauren Vogelbaum interview the culinary creators and consumers of the world, exploring the science, history, and culture of food and drink, all with a key question in mind: Why do we like what we like, and how can we find more of those things?
476
Expiration Dates: Best If Listened By
Expiration dates cause confusion and food waste -- Lauren and Anney do some demystifying (and talk about how a notorious gangster may have been involved with their inception).
29 min
477
The World Is Your Oyster
Oysters were one of humanity's first foods, and they've remained ragingly popular ever since. We dive into the biology, culinary history, and bloody piracy behind oysters.
44 min
478
Chuck E. Cheese's: Pizza, Intrigue, and Enterta...
A pizza-loving rat, a live band of animatronic animals, and beer on tap: We explore how a scheme to make more money off of arcade games became an international cultural phenomenon.
39 min
479
You Butter Believe It’s a Two-Parter: Part 2
What the heck is margarine, and how does it play in butter's history? Is it healthier to eat one versus the other? We wrap up our butterganza with these questions, plus cultural notes and cooking tips.
30 min
480
You Butter Believe It’s a Two-Parter: Part 1
Since before written history, humans have been mad about butter. (Er, sometimes literally angry.) We explore the slippery physics and surprising strife behind butter.
30 min
481
You Say Tomato, I Say Wolfpeach
Once considered deadly, the tomato has a fascinating history as a tax evader, protest device, and potential hallucinogen! GASP. There's also a lot of great science and nicknames involved in the tomato's story.
33 min
482
Fictional Foods: Butterbeer, from Book to Mug
Once a mere fantasy from the pages of "Harry Potter," butterbeer is now very real, very popular, and very delicious. In this new segment, we discuss the real-world history of a fictional food and its transition into reality.
28 min
483
Tofu: The Cheese of the Bean World
Tofu's multi-millennia history may or may not include an attempt at making an immortality elixir. Anney and Lauren take on the history, science, health, and environmental impact of tofu.
40 min
484
A Graham Cracker A Day to Keep Sin Away
Graham crackers, one-third of delightful campfire s'mores, originated as a bland health food peddled by a temperance preacher. We explore how they became the treats they are today.
31 min
485
How Did French Cuisine Become King?
French cuisine has a reputation as the best the culinary world has to offer, but why is that? Anney and Lauren trace the history of haute cuisine (and get to talk about celebrity chefs, lawyers, and tires along the way).
39 min
486
Marshmallows: A Cure for Your Ills
Marshmallows in one form or another (hearts, stars, and horseshoes included) have been enjoyed for thousands of years and involve some serious science. This is no fluff piece, is what we're saying.
41 min
487
Life of (Apple) Pie
The saying goes, "as American as apple pie," but why? Anney and Lauren dig into the historical events that made apple pie a cultural icon. And talk pie science. Yes.
41 min
488
A Starter Guide to Sourdough
Beyond San Francisco, beyond Paris, sourdough bread has a long, rich history closely connected to beer and one of our old friends, fermentation. Anney and Lauren mine into the science, culture and history of sourdough bread, and have fun with the names of
44 min
489
Cocktail Hour: Gin and Tonic
This simple, refreshing staple cocktail wouldn't be here if it weren't for heart disease and malaria. We trace the history of gin and tonic water, both separately and together, and explain the science behind why they're so darn tasty.
36 min
490
Sweetbreads: Neither Sweet nor Bread
Not exactly sweet and definitely not a bread, sweetbreads are a type of offal with a pedigree among gastronomes. We explore how people treated this odd, tasty gland in the past, and how it made a comeback.
39 min
491
May I Rent Your Pineapple?
Throughout its history, the much-sought-after pineapple has symbolized friendship, luxury and royalty. Anney and Lauren look into the pineapple's past to determine where this symbolism arose from, as well as where the pineapple is heading.
43 min
492
Could Honey Save Us All?
Humans have been eating honey since before recorded history -- and it may be the oldest medicine known to humankind, too. From ancient remedies to cutting-edge cures to rare dangers, we explore the amazing medical properties of honey.
36 min
493
Honey, a History
Join Anney Reese and Lauren Vogelbaum as they dive into the history of honey in this two part series.
39 min
494
A Spork by Any Other Name
How has the spork captured so much attention? Who designed such a questionably useful utensil? Anney and Lauren explore the surprisingly rich history of the spork.
28 min
495
The Troubled, Tasty Story of Fried Chicken
Physics makes fried chicken delicious, and human prejudice makes its connotations problematic. We delve into the history and science behind (specifically southern-American-style) fried chicken.
41 min
496
The (Non)Science Behind Juice Cleanses
Do juice cleanses actually deliver on their promises? How did commercial juices become a thing anyway? Anney and Lauren extract the truth from the myths about juicing.
42 min
497
Much Ado About Brunch
Brunch has always been a meal of excess and leisure, and it's therefore associated with some ugly classist, racist, and sexist ideals. But waffles are nice! We break down the problematic yet delicious history of brunch.
38 min
498
FoodStuff Is Moving to Fridays
This is not a full episode, but a quick notice: FoodStuff will be publishing on Fridays from now on! Yes. See you Friday!
0 min
499
Bloody Marys: Dubious Historically and Hangoverly
History is as unsure about where the Bloody Mary came from and how it came to be named as science is about its status as a hangover cure. Anney and Lauren uncover the fascinating possibilities in this FoodStuff: Cocktail Hour.
32 min
500
Yogurt: More Than Just Bacteria Poop
Humans have been enjoying yogurt and its health benefits for millennia. From prehistory to bizarre sanitarium treatments to modern marketing campaigns, we explore the culture of yogurt.
57 min