Follow the Crumbs

After a HUGE hiatus, we're back! We traveled, we lost sleep, we experienced life's ups and downs, but here we are, returning to our first love – this podcast. And we resume talking about dumplings. This week, we discuss a true champion of dumplings (the momo), Ancient Nepalese-Tibetan geopolitics, and Buddhist mythology. Finally, Faye can't … Continue reading Dumpling Diaries 3: Lost in the Himalayas

This week, we dig into our first dumping – the humble gyoza. In our dumpling taxonomy, the gyoza is a “true dumpling.” We discuss Chinese medicine, the history of Sino-Japanese relations, and how gyoza (or their ancestors) may have been found in tombs in Western Asia. Finally, we argue that dumplings are good for your … Continue reading Dumpling Diaries 2: Memoirs of a Gyoza

We're kicking off our long-awaited dumpling series by providing a methodology. Oftentimes, we find ourselves asking, “what is a dumpling,” and in this mini-episode, we provide the answer that will guide us throughout this series. We present three categories of dumplings and some examples. Finally, we leave you with some myths surrounding dumplings.

This week, we share a belated Eid and Easter episode with all of you. We discuss the parallels between Easter and the Mesopotamian goddess Ishtar, how Abrahamic religions incorporate maamoul into their springtime holidays, and why the ancient Egyptians had depictions of maamoul. Finally, we trace the history of date cultivation in the Middle East, … Continue reading One Maamoul to Rule Them All

This week, we postpone our dumplings series for one more festival-themed episode. Instead, we discuss a cake for all spring holidays in the Christian calendar, how a Christmas-time dessert became an Easter-time dessert, and the significance of Three Kings Day. Finally, we talk about enriched doughs.

This week, we dive into season 5 by ringing in the (Lunar) New Year. We explore the foods that make Lunar New Year special, the relationship between samurais and mochi, and how a bowl of tteokguk can give you another year of life. Finally, we discuss the pun that gave the world longevity noodles.

This week, we trace the pagan roots of the Christmas season. We discuss big tree fires, why the bouche de noel (Christmas cake) looks like a log, and how leaders repackaged pre-Christian traditions for a converted populace. Finally, we discuss exactly why yule logs are so difficult for bakers on and off the Great British … Continue reading Yule Be Home for Christmas

This week, we're deep in Holiday Season, as we discuss one of America's most divisive and storied holiday desserts: pumpkin pie. We discuss Indigenous farming practices, the myth of the first Thanksgiving, and how New England used tourism to elevate the story of Plymouth Rock. Finally, we discuss the connection between the Civil War and … Continue reading American Pie

This week, we're taking on seasonal treats. We discuss a marketing strategy that worked too well, how candied fruits traveled from China to the Americas, and the connection between Yeats and candied apples. Finally, we explore the dental dangers of various kinds of hard-shelled apples.

In this episode, we're diving into one of Mexico's beloved cocktails – the margarita. Of course, the history of this drink is murky, and we explore the margarita's competing origin stories. We discuss a showgirl who was allergic to every alcohol except tequila, a house party hosted by Dallas socialite and a Hilton in Acapulco, … Continue reading Remember the Margarita!

This week, we're ending our wheat series with yet another revolution. But this time, we're not talking about a political revolution. We discuss the hottest fads in farming, the environmental impacts of fertilizer, and the negative impacts of an agricultural movement to end hunger. Finally, we talk about the superbugs that keep us up at … Continue reading Wheat Streets 8: Pan y Circo

This week, we've got yet another episode on bread and revolution. This time, we take our journey to Russia, where we discuss Romanov industrialization, the historical liberties in Anastasia, and how the women of Russia toppled an empire. Finally, Rasputin.

As our journey with wheat continues, we come to the most important event of the 20th century: The Great War. This week, we pick up right where we left off, and discuss why America's grain couldn't get to Europe fast enough, how Germany's quest to feed its people may have prolonged the war, and how … Continue reading Wheat Streets 6: Brot and Peace

We're back on our grain train! This week, we're talking about wheat's trip across the Atlantic, the role that railroads (yet again) play in the rise of a beloved food in the United States, and how a century of revolution in Europe allowed American farmers to feed the world. Finally, we discuss the rise of … Continue reading Wheat Streets 5: Grown in the U.S.A.

It was only a matter of time. As we continue our stories on wheat, we return to a very familiar theme: bread and revolution. This time we’re continuing last week’s discussion and finally exploring how the peasants took out their anger on the millers. We discuss the medieval farming practices, the storming of the Tower … Continue reading Wheat Streets 4: London Falling

This week, we’ve got another addition to our bread  series and things are getting personal. We talk about why everyone hated the millers, how peasants avoided eating bread, and how pubs became central to medieval English villages. Finally, we discuss Chaucer.

This week, we continue our bread series, and this time, we go from Egypt to Rome. And with our entrance to Rome, we explore burdensome Roman economics, analyze Jesus’s bread and loaves, and revisit our old discussions of grain and revolution. We conclude our discussion just as Rome did – with the fall of the … Continue reading Wheat Streets 2: Roman around

We’re starting a new staple series, and this time, we’re turning to Oprah’s favorite carb, bread. In this episode, we start at the very beginning and explore how a hard seed that broke people’s teeth became the central food for some of the oldest civilizations in the world. We discuss the how women probably invented … Continue reading Wheat Streets: The Bread Books, pt. 1

This week, we’re taking a respite from 19th century political turmoil in Europe and taking our podcast westward – to America! We discuss prohibition, how an Italian immigrant in San Francisco ended up in Tijuana and created a famous salad, or maybe how he might have stole it. Finally, we analyze the many iterations of … Continue reading Veni, Vidi, Edi: A Brief History of the Caesar Salad

Another week, another revolution. This week, we’re moving on from France to Central Europe to talk about the revolutions of 1848. We discuss lost German dialects in Texas, the long-lasting legacy of Central Europe’s revolutions on Hill Country, and why Texas barbecue is so special. Finally, we give reading recommendations.

This week, we’re leaving behind France and moving east to talk about another land of flaky pastry: the Middle East. We discuss the controversial beginnings of baklava, how the Iranians came up with possibly the best name for a dessert ever, and a diplomatic dust up involving baklava, Barack Obama, and Greece-Turkey relations. Finally, the … Continue reading Of Filo and Honey

This week we’re returning with a very delayed episode on bread. If last time was about the precursor to the French Revolution, this week, we’re in the thick of it as we watch Louis XIV repeat the mistakes he made a decade ago. This week, we revisit our discussions about grain markets, hit up the … Continue reading The French Breadvolution

This week, we start part 1 of our two part series on the French Revolution by talking about the precursor: the Flour War. We discuss the importance of grain prices, the origins of capitalism, and the complete mess that was known as the Ancien Régime. Finally, we discuss how taxes work in Massachusetts. A special … Continue reading Bread: The Song of Angry Men

It’s election season, so we’re returning to one of our favorite themes: Presidents and food. This week, we discuss the famous tale of George Washington and the cherry tree, how a bowl of cherries might have killed Zachary Taylor, and why presidents have to forgive turkeys for their purported crimes every Thanksgiving. Finally, we speculate … Continue reading Pardon the Turkeys

We’re back for season 4! We apologize for the delay but what is time anymore? We return with an exploration of a hearty stew that has come to epitomize the fall harvest and the High Holidays. We discuss the symbolism of tzimmes’s different ingredients, how geography affects the evolution of dishes (shocker), and why you … Continue reading A Feast of Tzimmes

It’s our season finale, and this time, we wanted to end on a happy note, and the happiest thing we could do is bring back a very special guest: the one, the only, the incomparable Mary. We quiz her on Victorian sweets, reassess American geography, and revisit the history of starches. Finally, this week, we’re … Continue reading The Final Showdown: A Trivia Special

We’re done with the rice chronicles, and hurtling towards the end of the season, so this week, we don’t even cover food! Instead, snuggle up with your favorite quarantini, because it’s time to talk about the birth of the fanciest cocktail. We discuss Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Yalta conference hangover, why you might ever muddle an … Continue reading Olives in the Time of Martinis

This week, we reach the end of the Tolstoyesque saga that has been The Rice Chronicles. We return to one of our first stops on our journey with rice to discuss parallel histories of rice and fermentation in Japan and Korea, some old and classic colonialism tactics, and the key differences between gimbap and sushi, … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 7: Gimbap Style

We’re continuing our rice series by not talking about rice. Instead, we head to North America to talk about an aquatic grain that has played a central role in Indigenous cuisine across the Great Lakes region for centuries. We discuss how wild rice is harvested, the role of wild rice in the origin story of … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 6: Where the Wild Rice Grows

Our rice series continues, and this week we move further west and into Egypt to discuss a cherished rice and lentil dish. We discuss the history of lentils and rice as a combination, migration during the heyday of the British Empire, and why pasta makes a guest appearance in kosheri. Finally, we revisit the connections … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 5: Antony and Kosheri

Happy self isolation, and please enjoy our first episode of the new social distancing landscape. In this episode of our rice series, we’re leaving East Asia and heading to Iran to talk about one of the country’s most beloved rice dishes. We discuss how rice arrived to Central Asia, the rich cooking culture of the … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 4: Tahdig for Everyone

Another week, another episode about rice! We’re taking a short trip from Japan to Korea as we talk about the trendy rice dish. We discuss traditional Korean food theory, the role of efficiency in developing an all-inclusive meal, and the possible precursors to the bibimbap we know and love today. Finally, we talk about the … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 3: Bibimbap to the Top

This week, we’re continuing our rice series and discover how the histories of rice and sushi are intertwined. We discuss how to ferment fish, revisit the street food revolution of the Edo period, and explore how a humble dish became an elevated art form in Japanese cuisine. Finally, we talk about how refrigeration revolutionized so … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 2: Rice and Roll

This week, we’re kicking off another starchy series as we dive into the origins of a certain white grain. We discuss how to control rivers, how a good starch can help grown an empire, and the history of boating in the South Pacific. Finally, Faye explains why anthropology degrees can help you succeed in the … Continue reading The Rice Chronicles, Part 1

This week, we’ve got another celebratory, sugary, filler of an episode, but it’s not all fluff. We’re investigating the shadowy world of corporate espionage in candy-making, discussing the life and legacy of a prodigious candy man, and clarifying, once and for all, that the Pennsylvania Dutch do not speak Dutch. Finally, we debate whether or … Continue reading Come On, Party Peeple

It’s our first episode of the decade! In this episode, we discuss the development of food pouches in the western hemisphere, the mythology of Three Kings Day, and how non-Latinx Texas families started hosting tamaladas. Finally, we extoll the virtues of the deliciousness of tamales. NOTE: In this new year, we’re resolving to release episodes … Continue reading Fiesta de Tamal

This week, we have a holiday episode about one of the most American pies. We discuss the etymology of pecans, the relationship between treacle tarts and sugar pies, and how a corn syrup company popularized pecan pie. Finally, we uncover the dark underbelly of the pumpkin pie conspiracy.

In this week’s episode, we’re talking eggs and tomatoes and brunch. That’s right. An entire episode dedicated to shakshuka. We discuss noncontroversial topics like immigration and Israel, analyze similar dishes, and uncover the Arab ties to Sicilian food. Finally, we reminisce over our very first shakshuka experiences.

We’re finishing our potato series the way we always end vegetable series: by going back to the beginning. This time, we discuss how the Incans built the largest empire in South America without a wheel, the religious importance of Axomamma, and the cost-benefits of fried potatoes. Finally, we revisit our dear friend Johnny Appleseed.

We’re back with another episode in our potato series, which comes off schedule (this time thanks to technical difficulties). This week, we take a look at the dynamics that led to the Great Irish Potato Famine, discuss Jonathan Swift’s biting satire, and formation of the United Kingdom. Finally, we talk stabbing plots and the end … Continue reading A Modest Potato

We’re revisiting a common theme of ours this week: how did New World foods become so important to Italian food? In the first installment of our potato series, we’re discussing how Romeo and Juliet may have broken the law, how old gnocchi recipes might be (hint: they predate the introduction of potatoes to Italy), and … Continue reading Romeo and Juliet: A Potato Pasta Party

We’re back with another episode this week (again, we messed up the math!). In this episode, we discussing 12th century food storage systems, how Marco Polo cultured Europe, and one Dominican priest’s many miracles. Also, we discuss the logistics of enormous pierogi. Finally, Faye tries to uncover what exactly St. Hyacinth did to those women’s … Continue reading One Pierog, Two Pierogi, Red Pierog, Blue Pierogi

We missed a few weeks because we messed up the math and something about Labor Day, but we’re going to be back on track. In this episode, we’re discussing a beloved West African rice dish, the Wolof Empire’s rise and importance, and how the ingredients that make jollof rice came to Africa. Finally, we discuss … Continue reading Jollof Rice Wars 101

We’re back in Mexico! This week, we dive into the very non-Mexican roots of the beloved taco al pastor. We discuss the collapse of the silk industry in Lebanon, the Ottoman Empire’s consulate program, and how tacos al pastor represent the classic immigration to America story. Finally, we learn about Spain’s jamon obsession.

We’re back! And we’re starting season 3 off on a far more cheerful note than we ended season 2. In honor of July, heat waves, climate change, and sweating, we’re starting off this new season with an ode to ice cream and how a snack for the 1% became the people’s dairy confection. We discuss … Continue reading Scream for Ice Cream

On our season finale, we decide to dig into the story of one of the most iconic modern Native American foods – frybread. We talk about the events surrounding the Long Walk, how frybread emerged, and the enduring cultural significance and importance of this humble yet delicious food for the Navajo community. Finally, we discuss … Continue reading Frybread: A Story of Tragedy and Resilience

This week, we return to one of our favorite dishes, but we’re not talking about it in India. Instead, we delve into why and how this flavorful mix of rice, spices, oil, and meat became so popular in the United Arab Emirates. We discuss the historical ties between the Arab world and South Asia, the … Continue reading An Arabian Tale: Biryani Goes West

This week, we’re going to a part of the world we haven’t really talked about yet: southeast Asia. And, of course, we have to talk about colonialism. We discuss the basic tenets of Vietnamese cuisine, the fabled origin story of puff pastry, and how pate chaud traveled from the streets of revolutionary France to kitchens … Continue reading The Best Pies in Hanoi

This week, we have four sweet vignettes about candy, society, and history. We discuss how the military ended up with a large shipment of tootsie rolls, the origin story of jelly beans, why British kids liked cockroach candies, and  how capitalism did not capitalize on Halloween for candy sales. We provide a literary analysis of … Continue reading I Want Candy

To kick off February, we’ve got an episode on an overlooked story of a woman who helped feed countless activists during the Civil Rights Movement. We explore how food creates spaces for activism, the connection between a small restaurant and the Freedom Riders, and why Georgia Gilmore is an unsung hero of a pivotal time … Continue reading Pod Save Georgia… or Georgia Save the Pod?

As the title of this week’s episode suggests, we’re diving into the fish trade and the immigrant story that gave rise to cod-related black markets. We discuss why Portuguese immigrants came to Massachusetts, how they became the backbone of the American cod industry, and how this lucrative market developed fishy practices. Finally, we make fun … Continue reading The Codfather