Podcasts about america's test kitchen

When it comes to digital media production and marketing, few people have quite the experience as Mykim Dang (pronounced ME-kim). She's produced work for such companies as Facebook and in her role as Executive Producer of video production at America's Test Kitchen, she's helped create and distribute content for one of the premier brands in the world of cuisine. In this in-depth interview with her, we cover a wide range of topics related to producing content for a YouTube channel with about 1.3 million subscribers. We also dive into her thoughts related to diversity in the industry, the Bon Appetit and Reply All podcast fiasco, and why she thinks David Fincher has been the most profound influencer on the evolution of streaming video. Also back on the show this week is actress, musician, and filmmaker Sapna Gandhi, head of content at the film collective We Make Movies. If you're interested in applying for the film competition she mentioned, go to wemakemovies.org/competition. Mykim on Twitter Ron on Twitter Sapna on IMDb Crossing the 180 theme music "Gettin' Paid, Part II" by Alec's Band (CC BY) and curated from FreeMusicArchive.org. Huge thanks to MASV for sponsoring this show. Make sure to go to massive.io/AOTF to get 100GB of FREE file transfers! The Art of the Frame podcast is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Anchor and many more platforms. If you like the podcast, make sure to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes!

This week, Homemade is sharing an episode of a podcast called PROOF from our friends at America's Test Kitchen. PROOF is a podcast that takes us into the curious, unexamined corners of the food world, and in this episode they ask: Do burgers need ketchup? The birthplace of the burger, Louis' Lunch, doesn't think so. The family-run business has maintained a strict no-ketchup policy since they opened in 1895. We infiltrate this notorious ketchup resistance cell to try to understand why ketchup is such a polarizing condiment. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Another bonus! We’re sharing with you Ahmed’s story for the PROOF podcast by America’s Test Kitchen. It's a personal essay about growing up a picky eater in a Pakistani family. Subscribe to PROOF and find more info on their show here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/podcasts/proof. PLUS: a bonus interview with Madhur Jaffrey, desi cookbook author and icon, will be on the Patreon will be up later today. Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. At $10, you get access to behind the scenes content like a newsletter and bonus episodes. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.me/$ahmedaliakbar Your support means the world to us. Follow Ahmed on Twitter: @radbrowndads. Find the show’s website at seesomethingpodcast.com. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email the show at info@seesomethingpodcast.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas and kominas.bandcamp.com.

Alaxandra shares insights about her favourite cookbooks by America’s Test Kitchen. Looking to try a new recipe? Check out a Test Kitchen title from the FVRL print or digital collection!

Super fun conversation with America's Test Kitchen co-host Julia Collin Davison. She talked to Trish about growing up in Rochester, New York, going to cooking school and then landing what she calls the perfect job at America's Test Kitchen. Davison talks about how Cooks Illustrated magazine and America's Test Kitchen have evolved over the years, the science behind testing recipes, and why the show is so incredibly popular with viewers. Davison also gives us the skinny on the best cookware and a peek inside her gadget drawer.

Curious about cooking and baking? Alaxandra talks about her favourite cookbooks for first time and budding young chefs. Check out an America’s Test Kitchen title from the FVRL print or digital collection and start exploring recipes today!

Bridget Lancaster is known for her two decade run hosting America's Test Kitchen, as well as Cook's Country. She is also helping author the show's new vegan friendly cook book "Vegan for Everybody" and has a new podcast out called "Proof." Lancaster talks with Dennis Miller about how the pandemic has brought families together in the kitchen and given some people the opportunity to try their hand at new recipes and experiment with their food. Plus, she gives him a little insight on how her and her husband got inspired to brew their own beer.

We wanted to share a podcast episode from our friends at America’s Test Kitchen. Here’s a taste of their podcast PROOF that we thought you’d enjoy. “Raiders of the Lost Yeast” Seamus Blackley is the creator of the Xbox. He’s also an ancient Egypt enthusiast and baking hobbyist. Yes, you heard that right. Via Twitter, he assembled a rag-tag team of specialists: an archeologist (Dr. Serena Love) and a biologist (Rich Bowman). Together, they created a grand scheme: extract dormant yeast from the nooks and crannies of ancient Egyptian pots stored in the vaults of the world’s most prestigious museums and bake bread with it.  Subscribe to PROOF wherever you listen to podcasts.

Kaitlin Keleher oversees production on both TV and podcast projects at America's Test Kitchen.  She talks with Heath about the technical, creative, and logistical challenges of shooting America's Test Kitchen from home this year.  She also shares some of the secrets of what make podcasts like Proof and The Walk-In so popular and the challenges of growing and evolving a brand that is so well known and beloved.

In this episode of You Heard About Pluto, Jenny welcomes friend and fellow podcaster, Jambalaya Jake Williams! Jenny and Jake mark out over one of their favorite Pluto shows, America's Test Kitchen. They live watch two episodes and discuss Jake's Pluto fandom, the scientific format of the show, recipes they have tried, work rate vs. cinematic cooking shows, who does the dishes, being gentle, the incredible equipment, an anchovies taste test, pomegranates  and much more!      

The Walk-In considers the reality of "making it" in the culinary industry. Chef Elle Simone Scott explores the unheard stories of the food world’s difference makers. What really happens between their first day and overnight success? A lot—but it's rarely discussed beyond a small circle of trusted friends. Unfiltered and unexpected, The Walk-In has the conversations you won’t hear anywhere else. A production of America’s Test Kitchen.

Mitsy

Chris is back on his motorcycle! Brandon met a yak named Seth when his air conditioner died. Chris extols the virtues of Top Chef. Brandon and Chris notice the weirdly irresistible low-fi infomercial production of America's Test Kitchen. And games! Brandon and Chris discover the joys of plundering and shooting as a team! Brandon also discovers the joys of city-building games.Show notes:Drive thru zoo in Johnson Cityhttps://www.zooexotics.com/Top Chefhttps://decider.com/show/top-chef/America’s Test kitchenhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxAS_aK7sS2x_bqnlJHDSHwMilk Streethttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpGcoQ4AmidJSpDUXPZoq8ACoD: Warzonehttps://www.callofduty.com/warzoneCities: Skylineshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xj4ciP0RiwStellarishttps://www.paradoxplaza.com/stellaris-all/

David and Renee explore the question-filled world of sourdough starters and bread baking with bread baking expert Andrew Janjigian, a senior editor at Cook's Illustrated Magazine and America's Test Kitchen and a baking instructor at King Arthur Flour.

My Friend, Mondrekio Robertson joins me this week to discuss FOOD! He explains how he went from Finance to Entertainment, being a part of the America's Test Kitchen brand. We share stories about skiing (you won't want to miss this, around the 20 minute mark), food, nutrition and what things he likes making for other people. And we answer the biggest question, WHY BACON?

Tucker Shaw wears many hats: he's executive editor of Cook's Country Magazine, the former food critic for The Denver Post, the author of Everything I Ate, and, in a former life, a young adult novelist. In today's session, Tucker talks about his grandparents who were subsistence farmers in Maine, how he's coping in quarantine living above a Russian grocery, cooking from books in junior high school, and the night he saw me at Marie's Crisis. We also cover him getting tapped to be a professional food critic, how scary it was to write his first review, educating himself on wine lists (etc.), and moving to Boston to start work at America's Test Kitchen. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

It's hard being isolated from jobs, friends and family. So Sam is changing up this week's show with guests who have ideas on how to cope with the quarantine. Superstar chef Samin Nosrat of Netflix's "Salt Fat Acid Heat" and Tucker Shaw of "America's Test Kitchen" talk about cooking for neighbors, helping laid-off restaurant workers, and making better meals out of the stuff you've got at hand. Comedian Iliza Schlesinger talks about what she's getting done during her time at home, and we hear from a Stanford psychologist about creating "distant socializing" to keep ourselves connected.

Mystery Recipe is a new podcast from America's Test Kitchen Kids! With new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, this short-form podcast will help kids AND their grown-ups uncover the fun, fantastical, and fascinating sides of food. Each week will have a different ingredient theme, which builds to the grand finale: a mystery recipe cook-along. Get excited about cooking (and eating) by digging into the deliciously silly and unexpectedly educational.

WHAT IS PIE? What about pi? Can I have 3.1415 pieces, please? Andrew & Polly get granular and investigate the ingredients in both with Palmer, Sadie, William, Izzy, and Molly Birnbaum from America’s Test Kitchen Kids! Molly does all kinds of fascinating kitchen experiments and games on her new kids podcast, Mystery Recipe. Pre-heat your International Pi Day festivities right here! We hope your family will check out the Mystery Recipe podcast for more food science deliciousness! ATK Kids has lots of interactive experiences set up for families to try and home, and here]s some Pi Day Art Activities wee found — we hope this weekend and beyond can be filled with fun and learning and good food as we weather social distancing together! To find out more or to be on the show, visit www.earsnacks.org

We're in the depths of winter and need some cheer to get us through the post-holiday season. So this week, we're going to clear the docket, which is currently full of holiday disputes! Holiday leftovers include cases about dessert breads, pre-meal prayer circles, cooking holiday meals on your parents' stove, gift wrapping, and airport pickups. Plus a letter from Friend of the Court Afton Cyrus (JJHo Episode 282) from America's Test Kitchen about the case "Snickerdoodiligence!"

Subject:CINEMA #645 - January 26 2020 ON THIS EPISODE: It's been cooking with gas - literally - for 20 years this month, and we're proud to call them a fellow Boston show! Come along as we celebrate 20 years of "America's Test Kitchen"! Plus a Bonehead, a Rising Star update, and more! COMMUNICATE WITH US! We want to hear from YOU! Email - subjectcinema@pnrnetworks.com 

This month, we’re sharing with you  part two Ahmed’s reporting for America’s Test Kitchen where he followed the Pakistani mango trade in the United States. The story first started on SSSS and eventually moved to ATK’s PROOF podcast.  Find more info on PROOF here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/proof. “In part two of this investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar explores the underbelly of the secretive mango distribution industry. He uncovers the historical and economic reasons that importing mangoes from Pakistan has been so difficult — from regulation to irradiation. And he finally traces product to supplier.” Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. At $10, you get access to behind the scenes content like a newsletter and bonus episodes. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.me/$ahmedaliakbar Your support means the world to us. Plus, we’re doing a live-show in collaboration with BRIC! Find info on the show and RSVP at the following link: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/m-train-live-podcast-recording-brooklyn-podcast-festival-tickets-84651961295 Follow Ahmed on Twitter: @radbrowndads. Find the show’s website at seesomethingpodcast.com. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email the show at info@seesomethingpodcast.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas and kominas.bandcamp.com.    

This month, we’re sharing with you Ahmed’s reporting for America’s Test Kitchen where he followed the Pakistani mango trade in the United States. The story first started on SSSS and eventually moved to ATK’s PROOF podcast.  Find more info on PROOF here: https://www.americastestkitchen.com/proof. “Pakistani-American communities in the U.S. rely on dealers on WhatsApp to gain access to their most coveted treasure: Pakistani mangoes. And they pay a premium for it. In part one of this two-part investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar searches for answers. Why are Pakistani mangoes so hard to find? And why is the Pakistani community resorting to deals on WhatsApp to procure them?” Our show is crowdfunded and made possible by our beloved listeners. Subscribe our Patreon for as little as $1 a month to help support the show: https://www.patreon.com/ahmedaliakbar. At $10, you get access to behind the scenes content like a newsletter and bonus episodes. You can find other ways to support here: https://moneyyy.me/$ahmedaliakbar Your support means the world to us. Plus, we’re doing a live-show in collaboration with BRIC! Find info on the show or the following link: https://www.bricartsmedia.org/events-performances/m-train-live-podcast-recording Follow Ahmed on Twitter: @radbrowndads. Find the show’s website at seesomethingpodcast.com. Follow the show @seesomething and facebook.com/seesomethingpodcast. Email the show at info@seesomethingpodcast.com. Our music is by The Kominas, follow them at @TheRealKominas and kominas.bandcamp.com.

Today I'm interviewing Kaumudi Marathé, the cookbook author and chef behind Un-Curry, a company that is dedicated to sharing the richness of India's culinary traditions through cooking classes, catering, and popups. Originally from India. Kaumudi is a former journalist who got tired of hearing Americans describe Indian food as Curry. Her first cookbook, Maharashtrian Cuisine: A Family Treasury, was the first English language cookbook about the region and her second book, The Essential Marathi Cookbook, offers a more comprehensive look at its' cuisines. In 2017, her memoir Shared Tables, Family Stories, and Recipes from Poona to LA, was published. That same year, she applied for a job teaching cooking on ships and was thrilled to discover it was for America's Test Kitchen. Two years later, with her daughter heading to college, Kaumudi decided to take the plunge and apply for a job as a senior book editor where she has just recently started.             Find Kaumudi: Un-Curry Website Un-Curry Blog Unlikely Chef at Sea Blog America’s Test Kitchen Website Shared Tables Facebook Un-Curry Facebook Instagram Twitter

Does making a holiday feast stress you out? Jack Bishop, who has been with America's Test Kitchen since the very beginning, has some great tips for holiday dinners, plus a fun new way to teach kids cooking skills!You can go to the Parenting Bytes website for all of the links we talk about, plus an interactive transcript of the entire episode.Subscribe!Have you subscribed to Parenting Bytes on Apple Podcasts?Never miss an episode!Are you following us on Facebook? It's a great way to see what we're reading (including articles that might show up in future episodes), ask us questions, and give us feedback.Find us on Twitter for all the latest family tech news!

This week's guest is Lisa McManus who is the executive editor of equipment testing and ingredient tasting of America's Test Kitchen.

On today's episode Dave and Nastassia are joined in the studio by HRN's Kat Johnson and special guest Paul Adams, Science Research Editor for America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Illustrated. Together they tear into a real-deal MRE and spill every single component all over the studio. Also, we indulge in a shockingly involved string of tangents; Dave waxes poetic about spitting cherry seeds, and we go in-depth on plans for surviving a NYC-based nuclear event. Also, how to make Oatly at home. It's HRN's annual summer fund drive, this is when we turn to our listeners and ask that you make a donation to help ensure a bright future for food radio. Help us keep broadcasting the most thought provoking, entertaining, and educational conversations happening in the world of food and beverage. Become a member today! To celebrate our 10th anniversary, we have brand new member gifts available. So snag your favorite new pizza - themed tee shirt or enamel pin today and show the world how much you love HRN, just go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate Have a question for Cooking Issues? Call it in to 718.497.2128 or ask in the chatroom. Cooking Issues is powered by Simplecast.

Featuring WCR board member Elle Simone Scott, the Founder of SheChef, and Chef and TV Personality from America’s Test Kitchen, who was dubbed an aspiring "Culinary Oprah" by Forbes Magazine.Stephanie Hansen @StephaniesDish and @WeeklyDish Radio show interviews Elle Simone Scott @shechefinc_elle @ElleSimoneScott live from the Women Chefs & Restaurateurs National Conference 2019.Hear from the first woman of color to be one of the test cooks on the America's Test Kitchen about the concept of implicit bias, and the issue of retention of women of color in the industry after culinary school. Also, get a snapshot into the culinary charms of her home town, Detroit!Support the show (https://womenchefs.org/donate/)

What does it mean to have a "healthy gut?" Is it worth drinking kombucha or taking probiotics? What about that gut-brain connection? PhD candidates Cary Allen-Blevins and Vayu Maini Rekdal explore how "good" bacteria help us to break down our food – from our “first food” (breast milk) to meat and veggies. Love this episode? There are more stories about Harvard scientists' research into microbes on the podcast Proof, from America's Test Kitchen. Full Transcript The Veritalk Team: Host/Producer: Anna Fisher-Pinkert Sound Designer: Ian Coss Logo: Emily Crowell Executive Producer: Ann Hall Special Thanks to: Cary Allen-Blevins, Vayu Maini Rekdal, the Harvard Museum of Natural History, and the PRX Podcast Garage.

Haven't satisfied your holiday sweet-tooth yet? Alexandra let's you in on where to find the best-ever cookie recipes. In the cookbook "The Perfect Cookie: Your Ultimate Guide to Foolproof Cookies, Brownies & Bars" America's Test Kitchen has compiled all their knowledge to give to their tried-and-true recipes that won't disappoint! Be sure to check out this book today.

Lisa McManus Executive Editor, Tasting & Testing, America's Test Kitchen

Lily sits down with Carolyn Grillo to chat about her journey through the food industry. Carolyn has an incredible passion for food and what it does to bring us joy. After graduating from college, she traveled to Paris for culinary school, worked as a baker in Boston, and then ventured into food media at America's Test Kitchen. Carolyn's experiences shed light on how much love is poured into the food we eat every day.

How do the test cooks at America's Test Kitchen manage their cravings? Jack Bishop heads into the kitchen to find out.

Proof from America's Test Kitchen is a new-ish show trying to solve some food mysteries. Like should you put ketchup on burgers, and how do odd jellybean flavours get designed?! Writer and producer Maya Kroth shares her love of celery with Proof's host Bridget Lancaster, including stories from celery's golden age in Victorian times when it was a status symbol costing more than caviar! And in 'Beanboozeld, Part 2', Sara Joyner investigates how people design weird jelly bean flavours, with her research opening up a rabbit hole into the global food flavouring industry, and its history from about 1850 onwards.

There are a lot of theories and myths about alcohol and how not to fall victim to its effects. For example, mixing caffeine with alcohol will make you feel less sleepy or that light beers are healthier than regular beers. I begin this episode with an examination of which of these and other common held beliefs about alcohol are true or false. http://www.purewow.com/wellness/Alcohol-MythsWhy do you dream at night? Do those dream serve a purpose or are they random thoughts the brain has as your body rests? Journalist Alice Robb, author of the book Why We Dream (https://amzn.to/2LmMMuy) explores the science of dreaming and reveals some proven ways that you can use your dreams to help you in your waking life.What is the best tasting ketchup? Is it some fancy organic gourmet ketchup or is it Heinz or Hunts or maybe Del Monte? Blind taste tests reveal a very clear winner. Listen and discover which ketchup reigns supreme. (The New Best Recipe cookbook by America's Test Kitchen - (https://amzn.to/2LmL9gd)You probably have a lot more electronic friends on social media, texts and email than you have real friends. And while electronic friends are fine, having traditional friends and connections is probably more important than ever before. Susan RoAne author of the book How to Work a Room (https://amzn.to/2ElLcrk) explores the importance of friendships and offers practical ways to find and make new friends.This Week's Sponsors-Quip. Get your first refill pack free when you buy an electric toothbrush at www.GetQuip.com/something-Robinhood. Get a free stock when you sign up at something.robinhood.com -Stitch Fix. Get an extra 25% off when you keep all the items in your box at www.StitchFix.com/something

Tasting ItalyA Culinary JourneyBy National Geographic & America’s Test KitchenForeword by Jack Bishop Intro: Welcome to the Cookery by the Book podcast with Suzy Chase. She's just a home cooking New York City sitting at her dining room table talking to cookbook authors.Jack Bishop: My name is Jack Bishop and my cookbook is Tasting Italy: A Culinary Journey.Suzy Chase: You're the Chief Creative officer of America's Test Kitchen. How did the collaboration between America's Test Kitchen and National Geographic come together for Tasting Italy?Jack Bishop: Editors were just chatting, believe it or not, at a publishing conference. We thought, wow, as we were talking, if we teamed up National Geographic and America's Test Kitchen we could create a unique book. You think about National Geographic photographs, maps, travel essays to take you there, and then to be able to bring Italy to life in your own kitchen with recipes from America's Test Kitchen, it seemed like a really unique way of bringing the cuisine of Italy to life in a book.Suzy Chase: The beautiful photographs in this cookbook really transport us to Italy. Talk to me about your relationship with Italy and its food.Jack Bishop: I have a very long relationship with Italy. It began as a child. My Italian grandmother, who is the most talented home cook I ever knew. I grew up eating a lot of Italian foods, Sunday suppers. I lived in Italy when I was in my early 20s. I've traveled throughout Italy. Could we just say, they have the best food on the planet in Italy, at least in my opinion. The book is also just a personal passion because the food of Italy is really tremendously different than what we think. I still recall my first trip to Italy. I'd taken an overnight train from Germany and had gotten off the train in Florence, and went to the first restaurant, and there was nothing recognizable. None of the dishes that my grandmother had made were on the menu, which makes sense, once you think about it. Which is that my grandmother's relatives were born in Calabria in the south. Like many of the immigrants that came to the U.S., they came from the south and brought that cuisine with them. The rest of Italy has very different dishes. The climate's different, the geography, the history. The cuisine is different. The food of Florence is very, very different than the food of Calabria.Suzy Chase: How did you figure out the recipes for this cookbook. Did the locations dictate the recipes?Jack Bishop: We decided that we were going to structure the book in three large areas. Northern Italy, Central Italy and Southern Italy. Then within each of those, do a chapter on the administrative regions in Italy. They're kind of the equivalent of a state in the United States. Tuscany would be an administrative region, which is the area where Florence is. For each chapter you begin with an essay and photographs that brings you there. Tells you about the history, the topography, the major ingredients, the food traditions. Then we selected what we thought were the distinctive regional dishes. That was really hard. We ended up with a hundred recipes. The original list had 400 recipes. We really had to pare it down and say, "What are the dishes that really define Veneto or Liguria or Sicily? Most of the sections of the book have five or six recipes that really give you a taste of the unique, authentic local cuisine. Some of them are dishes that will be familiar to Americans. In the Lazio chapter, where Rome is from, you see spaghetti carbonarra, which is a classic Roman dish. But a lot of these recipes are things that frankly I'd never seen because I had never been to that particular part of Italy. So I wasn't familiar with the dish.Suzy Chase: So this cookbook is structured from north to south. Let's start off with northern Italy. The one word in the book you use to describe the food of Italy's northern region is rich. Why the word rich?Jack Bishop: The climate in the north is more like the climate perhaps in the northern United States. It's cold and snowy. I think of maybe the great plains. In the summer it's very fertile, so there's a lot of dairy, a lot of cattle. There's a lot of cheese. The fresh pasta is made with eggs. The influences are really Germanic or Austrian, as a way of describing it. So you see dishes with savoy cabbage, with speck which is a German ham. It is done in an Italian way, but it is a very rich, hearty cuisine. When you get to the far north, you're in the Alps, so it is hearty cuisine that makes sense in that cold weather. Buckwheat, polenta, they're used throughout this region. It is in many ways the most undiscovered part of Italy for many Americans because this cuisine isn't that well known in the United States, isn't really well represented. Most Americans don't end up going to this part of Italy. Lots and lots to discovery in northern Italy.Suzy Chase: Moving on to central Italy, the most significant influence on foods in central Italy comes from the Etruscans. Talk a bit about them and the influences on the cuisine. Jack Bishop: This is the region that sort of spans from Florence to Siena, further south down towards Rome. This is probably, for Americans that have traveled to Italy, the region that they probably spent the most time in. The interesting thing here is how many of these dishes really have their roots in the Middle Ages or earlier. One of the great shifts in Italian cuisine occurred in the 1500s after Christopher Columbus's voyages to the New World and all of these ingredients that came back to Italy and then influenced the cuisine. So, for instance, tomatoes didn't exist in Italy until roughly 1500. Older dishes that have their routes in Etruscan culture, which is really from nearly 1,500 years ago, 2,000 years ago, don't have tomatoes. They're spices. They're beans. They're lots and lots of ancient grains that end up influencing the local cuisine.Suzy Chase: Almost every part of Italy grows olives. But a few locales are famous for the aromatic, rich, extra virgin olive oil. Tell me about Lucca's liquid gold.Jack Bishop: Lucca is in Tuscany. I would say that Tuscany and Umbria, which is the region just to the south, make my favorite extra virgin olive oils. They're often very green and peppery. They're big, bold, exciting olive oils. There are a lot of small farms, which means that they're growing the olives, pressing the olives, and bottling the olives all on site. Which is really a premium extra virgin oil, that it is a boutique product, rather than the semi industrial product of a lot of the extra virgin olive oils that end up in the supermarket, where they're mixing oils from, it could be a dozen different countries. It's a commodity. They're really choosing oils based on price. In Tuscany and particular in the Lucca region, they're just some of the most beautiful olive oils that are made on the planet. They've been growing olives in Italy for centuries and entries and they make amazing oils.Suzy Chase: Now Samin Nosrat has her new Netflix show, and the fat episode was totally focused on olive oil in Italy. Does that surprise you that she chose olive oil over butter for her fat episode?Jack Bishop: No. Let's say this, first of all, olive oil is 100% fat. Butter is fat and water. It's not that I don't love butter, but I think olive oil has way more flavor. You think about the cuisines of the entire Mediterranean basin, not just Italy but Spain, Greece, the eastern Turkey, north Africa. Olive oil is the fat of choice. Those cuisines are remarkably diverse and fabulous. Southern France it is olive oil. I think it is the fat of choice in my home, and certainly in most parts of Italy it is the primary fat that is used in the kitchen.Suzy Chase: Now onto southern Italy and the islands. The air is hotter, the conversation is hotter and the cooking is hotter. The three pillars of southern Italy's diet are oil, wine and grain. Talk a little bit about that.Jack Bishop: The climate is more like it is in perhaps North Africa. It's hot and sunny. It's wonderful for growing olives. There's a lot of oil that is produced in southern Italy. It's more rocky, hilly, mountainous in places. Not great for cattle. So there really isn't a whole lot of dairy, and certainly not a lot of butter, and really not a lot of cheese in this region. It is the sunny south, the land of olive oil. It is also where a lot of grains come from. Sicily has an amazing tradition of growing wheat, a lot of ancient varieties of wheat that we aren't that familiar with. The agriculture there is hard scrabble, but it is diverse and quite different than in central or northern Italy.Suzy Chase: Despite the wealth of food in southern Italy, poverty has been persistent. Even after the foundation of the Italian nation, the south was neglected leading to emigrants to form little Italies all over the United States. As many of these Italian restaurants and various Little Italies cropped up, they put things on their menu that you never see in Italy like garlic bread, fettuccine alfredo or caesar salad. How did that happen?Jack Bishop: It's funny. You can't find spaghetti and meatballs in Italy. They make meatballs, but they usually don't serve them on spaghetti. A couple of things happened. People who emigrated from southern Italia, Naples, Calabria, Puglia, Sicily were generally leaving because of poverty. They were hungry. While they brought their traditions with them, suddenly in the United States there was a wealth of ingredients. There was much more affluence. Meat which was scarce was plentiful. Many of the immigrants went from being quite poor to, in a matter of a generation or sometimes less, being fairly affluent. There was the ability to afford things they couldn't afford. The availability of ingredients was different. For instance, many of the traditional cheeses would've been sheep's milk cheeses of southern Italy. 125 years ago, when my relatives emigrated from Italy, you couldn't really find them here. So there were substitutions. The fact that the ingredients were different in the United States, and suddenly the level of affluence had changed, meant that the cuisine changed. So you got things like the Sunday supper which my grandmother would prepare, which is a very traditional Italian-American celebration with pasta and meatballs and braised sausages and braciole. They don't really eat that way in southern Italy even today.Suzy Chase: Calabria, the rugged toe of Italy's boot is Italy's poorest region but finds respite in the joys of food. Bread has been the antidote for hunger for centuries. Describe the filling Calabria dish called mirstew.Jack Bishop: It's amazing what they're able to do with bread in Italy. Left over bread gets recycled in many, many different ways. For instance, bread salad in Tuscany gets created from basically something that we would throw out in the United States, which was stale bread and rehydrated with tomatoes and vinegar. In the south, there's a lot of flat breads in Calabria. They're more what we would call pizzas in a sense that they are lightly topped, perhaps with some tomatoes, some chilies. They love their chilies in Calabria. They might sometimes be folded and filled, more like what we would think of here as a Calzone.Suzy Chase: Why does the tomato salad taste so extraordinary in capri?Jack Bishop: The climate is great. The volcanic soil has something to do with it. The fact that it's a local tomato. The tomatoes that we generally eat most of the year in the United States are grown far, far away. Tomatoes really don't well with travel. I think it's mostly about the climate and the fact that they are local tomatoes grown and enjoyed within one region.Suzy Chase: Now to my segment called My Last Meal. If you had to place an order for your last supper on Earth, what would it be?Jack Bishop: I think I want my grandmother's lasagna. She made this beautiful lasagna, it was a tomato based lasagna that had teeny little meatballs tucked between the layers with a lot of ricotta cheese and parmigiano. I make it once a year. The smell of lasagna takes me back 50 years, 45 years, and I'm a kid again, sitting on a stool in my grandmother's kitchen. It's just an amazing way to bring family history back to life.Suzy Chase: Where can we find you on the web and social media?Jack Bishop: We're at americastestkitchen.com. You can come to our website and learn more about what we do here at America's Test Kitchen. You can learn more about Tasting Italy. You can also find us on Instagram, our Facebook pages and see the work that I do and that my colleagues here to on America's Test Kitchen. You can also watch our shows on public television. America's Test Kitchen and Cook's Country are both shown on stations all around the country.Suzy Chase: Wonderful, thanks Jack for talking Italy with me. And thanks for coming on Cookery by the Book podcast.Jack Bishop: Thanks Suzy, you have a great day.Outro: Subscribe in Apple podcasts, and while you're there, please take a moment to rate and review Cookery by the Book. You can also follow me on Instagram @cookerybythebook, Twitter is #IAmSuzyChase, and download your kitchen mix tapes, ‘music to cook by’ on Spotify at Cookery by the Book. Thanks for listening. `

What are some of the holiday pitfalls you could encounter when making dinner for your guest? Also, we'll bet you didn't know that Bridget Lancaster from America's Test Kitchen brews her own beer. In his weekly behind the scenes story, Brett describes an intimate and awkward situation when reporting his first ever NBA game. Later, Brett talks you through the crazy world of online dating how to avoid the rampant false advertising of profile pictures.

America's Test Kitchen chief creative officer Jack Bishop joins the program to talk about his new cookbook covering Italian cuisine. That inspires our host to present her top five Italian comfort food recipes.  And Dara asks "What are you cooking?" as the holiday season approaches.

Today's episode is all about the simple joys and small pleasures of eating, cooking, baking, and enjoying the fellowship that springs up around food and community. This episode was written by Claire Oliverson, currently the Senior Director of Social Media & Content Strategy at America's Test Kitchen. Visit Claire Oliverson's Instagram here. Happiness Spells is five or so minutes of happy and positive things, a collection of thoughts, daydreams, feelings and reveries. Headphones on. A hint of #ASMR, a touch of #guidedmeditation, a lot of #gratitude. This episode of Happiness Spells was arranged, recorded and produced by Amanda Meyncke in Los Angeles, California. Our music is by Chris Zabriskie. Find Happiness Spells on Instagram or visit our site to send us a mysterious message.

Jack Bishop, Chief Creative Officer at America's Test Kitchen, takes us behind the scenes at this popular multimedia TV show. America's Test Kitchen offers more than 200 online cooking courses and publishes on average ten new cookbook titles each year. Recent books include 'Tasting Italy: A Culinary Journey," a visually stunning compilation of stories and recipes published in collaboration with National Geographic. America's Test Kitchen also publishes Cook's Illustrated and Cook's Country.This show is broadcast live on Wednesday's at 2PM ET on W4CY Radio – (www.w4cy.com) part of Talk 4 Radio (http://www.talk4radio.com/) on the Talk 4 Media Network (http://www.talk4media.com/).

NWP welcomes Jack Bishop from America's Test Kitchen and a joint venture with National Geographic! The experts at America's Test Kitchen and National Geographic bring Italy's magnificent cuisine, culture, and landscapes--and 100 authentic regional recipes--right to your kitchen. Featuring 100 innovative, kitchen-tested recipes, 300 gorgeous color photographs, and 30 maps, this illustrated guide takes you on a captivating journey through the rich history of Italian cuisine, region by region. Rich excerpts feature the origins of celebrated cheeses, the nuances of different wine growing regions, the best farmer's markets in Venice, and more. Intriguing prose illuminates key ingredients, from olive oil and how it's made to the various pasta shapes of Northern Italy. In every region, the food experts at America's Test Kitchen bring it all home, with foolproof recipes for standout dishes as well as hidden gems: Piedmontese braised beef in lustrous red wine sauce, crispy-custardy chickpea flour farinata pancakes from Genoa (achieved without the specialty pan and wood-burning oven), and hand-formed rustic malloreddus pasta of Sardinia that is a breeze to make ORDER NOW: .https://www.amazon.com/Tasting-Italy-Americas-Test-Kitchen/dp/1426219741

Proof is a new podcast from America’s Test Kitchen that goes beyond recipes and cooking to solve food mysteries big and small.

The aliens are coming to dinner! In this episode we wonder what food aliens might eat and talk to real scientists who've thought long and hard about this question. Plus, our friends at America's Test Kitchen show us how to whip up a delicious beef and broccoli dish. We'll lay out the cooking instructions step by step throughout the podcast so you can cook along. When the episode is over, you'll be ready to chow down. Find the recipe here: https://www.brainson.org/shows/2018/07/03/alien-cook-along And for more awesome recipes like this one head to americastestkitchen.com/kids This episode is sponsored by Plated (plated.com/redeem and offer code BRAINS).

Playing Favorites: Cauliflower with Almonds, Raisins and Capers, Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce, and Chicken Cacciatore We break out some recipes we have been making for years with two recipes Kate and Betsy found online years ago and a family favorite from their childhood. Smitten Kitchen’s Cauliflower with Almonds, Raisins, and Capers gets an update and Martha Stewart’s Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce does not disappoint. Betsy and Kate revisit their childhoods with Kitchen...er, Chicken Cacciatore. Lastly, we might have a few new magazines to read on the beach or anywhere with a spot of sun this summer. This week we cooked... Cauliflower with Almonds, Raisins and Capers (Original): Smitten Kitchen; Kate’s Simplified Version Cauliflower is roasted and then topped with crunchy, herby, tangy mixture of almonds, herbs, capers, and raisins. Smitten Kitchen started out with the original take on this dish and Kate simplified it for her sisters and listeners. Tips: This is a lovely vegetarian “main” dish or on the side of a light protein like white fish or chicken paillard (see Episode 3 for a paillard how-to) The original version is tasty but has a lot of moving parts. Read it through and decide if that or Kate’s version is more your speed. Chicken Enchiladas with Creamy Green Sauce: Martha Stewart Shredded chicken is wrapped in corn tortillas, covered in a creamy green salsa, topped with cheese and then baked up to comfort food perfection. Tips: Choose your salsa based on the taste buds of you and your family. A spicier salsa definitely adds dimension to the dish but could be too much for little mouths. Chicken Cacciatore: Schulz Family Recipe (card 1, card 2) The Dinner Sisters grew up with this family-friendly dish of chicken lightly browned and then slow-simmered with onions, garlic, herbs, and tomatoes. Serve with spaghetti and watch it disappear. Tips: Use chicken thighs and drumsticks here. Chicken breasts will just dry out. A slow simmer is key- try this on a night you have time to cook the sauce for an hour. Total prep and cooking time takes at least an hour and a half. The Dinner Sisters grew up eating this with spaghetti or other long noodles but polenta would also be nice here. From the Smorgasbord... Try world cuisine adapted for the home cook with recipes from a new magazine, Milk Street. And if you're interested, a bit of the controversy behind Christopher Kimball's exit from America's Test Kitchen.   Netflix's series, Chef's Table, showcases amazing food and the sacrifices people have made to be the best in their craft. The latest, Season Four, highlights pastry chefs. We really liked the Christina Tosi episode but all were worth watching. (Check out the gelato episode...oh man...) Shopping List Follow us on Instagram @dinnersisterspodcast or on Pinterest at Dinner Sisters Podcast. Subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Stitcher , Google Play, and SoundCloud

In this interview, nutrition expert Jolie Root describes the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet and how practitioners can enhance compliance with their patients. Listeners will learn how to effectively utilize this diet in clinical practice. Approximate listening time: 32 minutes About the Expert Jolie Root, LPN, LNC, is a nutritionist, health educator, nurse, medical journalist and well-known radio personality. She travels North America attending medical conferences and educating the public about the roles of nutrition in integrative medicine. She also spreads the word through informational articles published in magazines and newsletters across the country, including Alternative Medicine, Whole Foods, Taste for Life, and Senior Living. In addition, she hosts a weekly talk show called “Food for Thought,” which can be heard Fridays at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on AM 1160 WVNJ. About the Sponsor Since 1965, Carlson has produced pure, quality, award-winning vitamins, minerals, omega-3s, and other nutritional supplements. Carlson began with a single vitamin E product, helped launch the omega-3 market in North America in the early 1980s, and now offers a product line with more than 200 nutritional supplements. Carlson is most renowned for the high quality of their award-winning omega-3s, and now they’re available in a premium olive oil. Olive Your Heart® blends cold-pressed Greek Terra Creta extra virgin olive oil with premium Norwegian marine oil sourced from deep, cold-water fish and is available in basil, lemon, garlic, and natural flavor. Each serving provides 1,480 mg of omega-3s, including EPA and DHA. Olive Your Heart® is mild and smooth, and makes it easy and delicious to add heart healthy nutrients into your diet. Transcript Karolyn Gazella: Hello. I'm Karolyn Gazella, the publisher of the Natural Medicine Journal. Today, we are going to explore the efficacy of key components of the Mediterranean Diet. We'll also be talking about enhancing patient compliance to this diet. Before we begin, I'd like to thank the sponsor of this topic, who is Carlson Laboratories. My guest is nutritionist Jolie Root. Jolie, thank you for joining me. Jolie Root, LPN, LNC: Oh. It's a pleasure to be with you, Karolyn. Thanks for the opportunity. Gazella: Well, this is a great topic. We've actually written about this topic a lot in our journal, and I am a big fan of the Mediterranean Diet. I think most practitioners know what makes up the Mediterranean Diet, but can you remind us what the key components of the diet are that contribute most to its health promoting aspects? Root: Yes. It is a diet that is high in plant foods, so that means fruits, and vegetables, and whole grains, and whole grain breads, legumes, and nuts, and seeds. They also use hefty amounts of extra virgin olive oil, and it may or may not include moderate amounts of red wine, and also fish, and poultry, dairy, and eggs are featured, and red meat is minimized. It's only very occasionally that there will be red meat in this diet. It's a plant-based diet with a variety of fruits and vegetables, fresh foods, and whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds, and olive oil. Gazella: Now, let's talk about the olive oil, because it seems like the healthy fats are a big component of this diet. What are some examples of the healthy fats in the diet, and why are these fats better for patients? Root: Well, I think that you could say that part of the overarching benefit of walking away from unhealthier fats and towards healthy fats in the diet has to do with inflammation. We know in Western culture that we have an imbalance of fats that promote inflammation relative to an inadequate intake of fats that help to balance inflammation, so specifically I'm saying that one of the really I think imminent qualities of the Mediterranean Diet is that it relies on olive oil and then omega-3s from nuts and from fish, and it's low in omega-6s. That's the problem when you contrast that to the Western pattern diet, which is much higher than it should be in omega-6 relative to omega-3, and in the US, in North America, people rarely use olive oil as their main cooking oil. Here in the West we eat a diet that promotes inflammation, and it's not just inflammation. It also promotes an unhealthy level of clotting in the blood and constricted blood vessels, so the result of that is high blood pressure and arterial stiffness. The Mediterranean approach, using olive oil and omega-3s from nuts and from fish oil, relaxes the blood vessels, helps to govern excess inflammation, and promotes health in areas from heart disease all the way to cognitive function. Gazella: Now, I'd like to continue to deconstruct the diet a bit more, but let's stick with the conditions that you just mentioned, and I'd like to talk about first prevention and then treatment. Let's talk first about prevention. Purely from a preventative standpoint, which conditions benefit most from the Mediterranean Diet? You mentioned heart conditions, but can you expand on that a little bit more? Root: Well, cardiovascular disease, so disease of the heart and the blood vessels, so that would mean not just heart disease with its inherent health risks, but cardiovascular death as an endpoint is something that has seen reduction in the double-blind, randomized, controlled studies and even in single-blind, controlled studies with the Mediterranean Diet, so the Lyon Heart Diet Study and the PREDIMED Study are studies that practitioners can look up and read. They saw a reduction in heart disease and a reduction in heart disease deaths as an endpoint, but along with that we also see blood vessel issues, so hypertension and endothelial function as components of heart disease, are improved on the Mediterranean Diet, because some of the elements in the Mediterranean Diet relax the blood vessels, and that allows for supporting blood pressure in a normal range. The other thing is when you look at the heart, before we have heart disease, we may have diabetes or metabolic syndrome, conditions leading up to sometimes an increased likelihood of an endpoint of heart disease. The Mediterranean Diet helps with blood sugar stability and some of the issues that contribute to the metabolic syndrome, such as derangement of lipids, so cholesterol numbers that are not where we want them, triglycerides that are elevated, and that blood sugar control, and higher than what would be optimal inflammatory markers, and then that's metabolic syndrome, which also sometimes we might call pre-diabetes, but also diabetes itself is something that we have seen benefit in reducing risk of with Mediterranean Diets. That's kind of in the cardiovascular realm, but if you want to go to the cognitive realm, we have seen improvement in cognition in elderly people who followed a Mediterranean Diet with either additional nuts or additional olive oil, and we have even seen some changes in some of the suspected markers of Alzheimer's risk, things like amyloid deposits and amyloid protein. So, earlier in life we're concerned about heart disease. We're concerned about metabolic syndrome, diabetes. Later in life we start thinking about dementia and ultimately with the worst endpoint there, which would be Alzheimer's. Gazella: Yeah. I mean, that's a pretty broad range of conditions. I'm curious. When we switch over to treatment intervention, can the diet be used as a treatment intervention for many of these same conditions? Root: Well, I wouldn't go so far as to say that it would be a treatment for Alzheimer's. We don't generally find that treating Alzheimer's works particularly well once that disease itself has set in, although I would urge practitioners to look up Dale Bredesen and the work that he's doing. However, the cardiovascular disease? Yes. I would recommend the Mediterranean Diet as a treatment if someone were to come to me and ask for a recommendation, because of the ability to change the inflammatory markers, the lipid balances back to a more favorable profile. There is, for example, one of the elements ... I know we're going to talk about this in more depth as we go forward, but think about resveratrol, which is known to enhance nitric oxide production, and that means relaxing blood vessels and promoting endothelial health. In those cases, people that are in pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome, or actually know that they have cardiovascular disease are looking to improve these factors, and Mediterranean Diet has shown to do exactly that. Gazella: Before I leave this subject, are there any studies on obesity? It seems like obesity can increase the risk of so many things, not only heart disease, but also some cancers, and of course diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, and some of the other things that you've mentioned. Are there any studies showing that the Mediterranean Diet will help people lose weight? Root: Yes. They weren't looking at that as an endpoint, so I'm not aware of studies, Karolyn, where they were specifically looking for weight loss as an endpoint in the study, but they have seen, as an aside, the additional benefit in some of the big studies of Mediterranean Diet of weight loss, although that wasn't really what they were after or what their intent was. People do seem to lose weight when they follow, when they adhere to a Mediterranean Diet. There's the key. Gazella: Right. Root: You know, that's the key in everything that we do, either successfully or not, when we talk about integrative health. But the weight loss factor seems to be more pronounced than in people who follow something like a low fat diet. I think that it's a happy additional benefit of following a Mediterranean Diet. Gazella: Well, that's good. Now, is there anybody who should not be on the Mediterranean Diet? Are there any contraindications or safety issues? Root: I can't think of any. I thought about that. I expected you to ask me that question, and I thought about that. I can't think of any, because the factors in Mediterranean cooking and following that approach are varied enough that if you had ... Let's say, okay, one caution is always what if you have a really strong food sensitivity or food intolerance, so a gluten issue, or what if you have a real sensitivity to nightshades? You could avoid those foods and still follow a Mediterranean approach, so there's enough variety I think in the foods in a Mediterranean lifestyle, a Mediterranean Diet, that I can't think of anyone that really would be a problem. If you choose to be a vegetarian, omit the fish and include more olive oil and nuts for healthy fats. If you are avoiding gluten, then don't eat the gluten containing foods that are part of the diet. There's no hard and fast rule that says that you absolutely must include every element of the diet. If you have an issue with alcohol, you do not have to have the red wine. But as far as just a strict avoidance, I can't think of anyone. Gazella: You know, I would agree. I have not seen anything ... I mean the diet is so fluid and so varied, so I think that that's definitely one of the benefits. I'd like to continue to kind of deconstruct this diet a bit more. You know, you mentioned healthy fats. You mentioned resveratrol. This diet includes a lot of key nutrients. It comes from the spices and the other foods that are featured in the diet. Can you give us some more examples of the specific polyphenols and other compounds that we can find when we break down this diet? Root: Definitely. Let's say tomatoes, which are certainly something that people in Italy, and people in Spain, and France, and most of the Mediterranean countries enjoy, so with tomatoes we have lycopene, and lycopene is one of the dominant antioxidants in the bloodstream when people do eat a Mediterranean Diet. Lycopene itself has been associated with protecting the prostate health in men, reducing certain aspects of risk factors for health disease. So, lycopene from tomatoes is an example. If you look at the leafy greens that are in the diet, then we can talk about lutein and zeaxanthin, and we'd also have to talk about the magnesium that is a very strong element benefit of leafy greens, and the carotenoids, the betacarotene, but lutein has been shown to be very beneficial for the retina. You know, dating back to the 90s, more lutein, even a single serving of spinach a day, reduced macular degeneration by more than 40% in men who were eating a healthy diet including spinach on a daily basis. Lutein is there in the leafy greens. Think about garlic. You've got allicin, and you've got a lot of phenolic compounds in the garlic. Garlic is a benefit for being, first of all, an antioxidant, but also an antifungal. It's just a very healthy food. It also helps to normalize lipids. It helps with blood vessel expansion, so garlic is another element. I mentioned the resveratrol in the red wine. You wouldn't need to do red wine. You could get resveratrol from the purple grapes and from other red foods that are in the diet. If you eat blueberries, you could get pterostilbene, which is another very potent blood vessel health supporting antioxidant. Let's not even get started on the dark chocolate, which is one of the elements, and we love that part, in moderation, meaning about an ounce a day of a good dark chocolate, full of flavonoids, beneficial for the blood vessels. Turmeric, so in the spice cabinet we have the turmeric, which provides us with the curcumin, which is an antioxidant, protects the lining of the blood vessels, associated with benefits in the brain, associated with a reduction in the amyloid deposits. You know, those are just some that come to mind. Then the olive oil, which is certainly a big part of this. There's the oleuropein. There's the oleocanthal. These are antiinflammatory. When you get a good olive oil, you get a little sting in your throat if it's a really good one. Antioxidant, antiinflammatory. We're always a little reluctant to talk about cancer, but anti-proliferation. There are some studies that have shown the biological activity of oleuropein too, and that's an olive oil compound, antimicrobial, antiviral. So, you could apply that to heart disease, absolutely, diabetes, but also neurological diseases. There are just so many mechanisms from the specific compounds that would benefit almost the entire lifespan. I can't think of ... Even children would benefit from having these very nutritionally potent foods as the centerpiece of their diet, rather than pop tarts. Gazella: Yeah. Exactly. It is a long list. I have to say that I've only heard one complaint about the Mediterranean Diet from a clinical perspective, and that is that sometimes practitioners feel like it's not specific enough. You know, the DASH Diet and some of the other diets, they have very specific directions on how to follow the diet, X number of this and X number of this. Now, how do you describe the Mediterranean Diet in very specific terms to ensure proper adherence to the diet? Root: Well, I try to describe the things to include and the things to avoid in order to hopefully be following it quite well. So, we don't include added sugar, for example. I say get rid of that. I talk about limiting and hearty limits on red meats, and instead fish, and also feel free to have days where you don't have an animal protein or the animal protein might be cheese or eggs, but that we keep eggs even limited somewhat. What we're doing is changing out saturated fats for unsaturated fat. I'm not one of these that thinks that saturated fats are all bad, but this is a diet that emphasizes olive oil, rather than butter. When we start to make these changes and we begin to develop a taste for these more natural and less processed foods, your taste buds change, and you begin to find it easier to embrace this more ... It's a simpler approach to cooking, so very few things from boxes, for example, in the Mediterranean Diet. People always say, "But what about pasta?" I say, "Well, what about whole grains? What about exploring using bulgur wheat? If you're going to do a pasta, do something like a couscous. You know?" Fewer things from boxes, fewer things from cans, although tomatoes from cans I think are okay. More fresh herbs, less salt, and more fresh herbs and seasoning as spices. As far as adherence goes, I recommend cookbooks, Karolyn. I think that it's easier to take a kitchen table approach to this. I find a lot of times when diets are specified very strictly, people get very frustrated and overwhelmed with the weights and measures of it all. How do we actually keep ourselves to 200 milligrams of cholesterol in a day, for example? How many milligrams of cholesterol are in an egg? I take a different approach as far as specificity and try to encourage a variety of colors of fruits and vegetables, less canned and boxed and more fresh. Shop more often, not less often, so that you're going and you're getting some fresh produce, and you're going home and having it in the next couple of days. Several meals a week that don't feature meat. At least two or three meals a week that do feature fish, so that you're getting those omega-3s. If you're going to do the eggs, get the omega-3 eggs, because those are full of a very absorbable form of DHA, and also lutein, and other nutrients, the choline that your brain needs. I take more of a Food Network approach to it than I do an American Medical Association approach to it, and I recommend cookbooks. I have a favorite cookbook. It's the Complete Mediterranean Cookbook, and it's done by the people that do Cooks Illustrated Magazine, so it's America's Test Kitchen. I got it from Amazon. It's got 500 recipes in it. I haven't found one that I haven't liked. Gazella: I love that kitchen table approach. You bring up so many good things. When you're describing it to patients, you're talking about ... Just by telling them what to avoid, it's going to automatically be including healthier options in their diets, you know, like swapping out butter for olive oil and shopping more often. That's a great piece of advice as it relates to a Mediterranean Diet. I think those are some great tips. Now, in addition to describing the diet in those specific terms, is there anything else that healthcare professionals can do to improve compliance? Root: I think there is. I think it brings up a piece of the Mediterranean Diet that we don't talk about enough, and that is imagine yourself in the South of France. Imagine yourself on the Island of Crete. Think about the way that they approach their day, their meals, their habits. These are people that are moving at a slower pace than we do here, so it's not as much about convenience as it is about community. The meals are a point of shared experience for the family, the extended family, your neighbors, people that you ... Even when you're doing business with people, you bring them to your table, and you break bread, and you have a glass of wine. It's a much more relaxed, chill approach to things than in our zooming from point A to point B, and running into the deli, and grabbing something, and running back out kind of approach to life. You saunter through the market with a basket over your arm and pick up some fresh veggies, and some fresh fruit, and maybe a nice piece of fish, and maybe they've just baked some crusty bread, and you're going to take that home and break the bread, and dip it in some of that olive oil, which you've ground some seasoning and some spices in, maybe a little balsamic vinegar. You take a very slow approach to that meal. Maybe you're all cooking it together and having it a little bit at a time, but there's this sort of attitude, and this piece of mind, and this slow approach that they take. I think that that is as important to adopt that mindset as it is to be aware of the nuts, and the bolts, and the mechanics, and the ingredients of the diet. Gazella: I am so glad that you brought that up, because you're right. A big part of the Mediterranean eating is social and communal. Honestly, I don't hear a lot of doctors talking about that benefit. I would agree with you. I think that does add to the health promoting aspects of the diet. Yeah. I think that's a great thing to emphasize to patients. Now, for those people who are having difficulty consistently following the Mediterranean Diet, do you recommend dietary supplements. If you do, take us through some of ... I know this might be kind of an unfair question, because it's not a one size fits all, but are there maybe your top three recommendations that would probably be good for 90% of the people? Root: Well, of course, you know, I have my favorites, but fish oils, so a good, high quality omega-3 supplement. Obviously you want a trusted company, because you want it purified. These days, with the omega-3s we are taking the approach of reaching an optimal intake, and that's measurable now. There's actually a little finger stick blood test that we can do now to see where you stand as your omega-3 score is concerned. For most adults we actually need a little more than what had been the recommendation. High quality fish oil that provides somewhere around 1,500 milligrams of the active components, the EPA and the DHA, is one thing, fish oil and with olive oil as your main cooking oil. There's even a functional food supplement now that is even a combination of the two that you don't actually heat up to cook with, but you could use it for salad dressing, or you could use it to do that dip the bread in thing that I described, which is the first course of so many Mediterranean meals. So, that's a place to start is a good, high quality omega-3 or a combination omega-3/olive oil supplement. Then I think something that not enough people are taking that more people probably would benefit from is a good curcumin supplement. It's made from turmeric. The curcumin itself is not really well absorbed, so you want to take it at mealtime. Get one that is CurcuWIN or one of the trademarked turmeric supplements, because the manufacturers have helped with the absorption. Always in a meal with fat is the best way to take either a fish oil supplement or the curcumin supplement. Those are the first two things that come to mind. Then if I were going to pick a third thing for Mediterranean Diet, it would probably be a resveratrol or a pterostilbene. Those are things that maybe people aren't getting enough of in their diet, and especially teetotalers. If you're not drinking red wine, then you may not be getting much resveratrol, and there really does seem to be some longevity associated with that. Gazella: Yeah. I was going to ask you about resveratrol, because even if you are drinking maybe a glass or two, I think that enhancing the resveratrol amount in the diet is probably a good idea. It's such a powerful nutrient. Root: Me too. There are a lot of people that a glass or two is absolutely as much as they ought to do, women. Really you've got to keep alcohol at a small to moderate level, because extra is so bad. So, we've just seen a look at early onset dementia with chronic, heavy drinking, and it was much worse in men, but that's because men are more likely to be the chronic, heavy drinker, but it was scary when I was reading about it, because these men that it's four to five drinks a day ... So, this is a see something, say something for family members. If you know somebody that's drinking that much, it's intervention time. It takes 20 years off of their life. With the resveratrol a little bit of red wine, great, but I wouldn't do more red wine in order to meet my resveratrol goal. I would take a resveratrol supplement. Gazella: Yeah. That's such a great point. Well, before we wrap up, Jolie, I'm wondering if there's anything else that you'd like to share to our listeners about the Mediterranean Diet and how they could or should be using it in their clinical practice. Root: I would encourage physicians to use any kind of teaching tool that they can. There is now the ... I'm drawing a blank on this. The Department of Agriculture makes dietary recommendations, and they actually have one now that talks about Mediterranean Diet, and they help people follow it, a Mediterranean style diet, but there is a wealth of information on the internet from trusted sources that can help with sort of the guidelines for the Mediterranean Diet. I think Oldways has a Mediterranean Diet pyramid. Maybe even keep some good cookbooks in the office, and hold them up, and say, "Here is a great way to get started," and they can order them, or you can give them a gift or something. People need practical advice, and remind them of the community benefit, the gathering the family around the table, because that's not just about the Mediterranean Diet. That's something that really is missing in our busy culture, and everyone I think would be healthier if they were able to do more sharing over meals. Gazella: Yeah. I would agree. I think the Mediterranean Diet is such a powerful clinical tool that practitioners can use. Well, once again, I'd like to thank today's sponsor of this topic, Carlson Laboratories, and I'd like to thank you, Jolie, for joining me today and sharing this information with us. Root: It was a treat, Karolyn. It was so nice to talk to you. Gazella: Yeah. Well, great. You have a great day. Root: You too.

Recording Date: November 7, 2017 Hosts: Lauren Martino and David Payne Episode Summary: Cooking enthusiasts Dana Alsup, a librarian at Marilyn Praisner Library, and Nalani Devendra, a library associate at Silver Spring Library, discuss the joys and challenges of cooking and how MCPL can make your next meal a delicious one.  Guests: Librarian Dana Alsup and Library Associate Nalani Devendra Featured MCPL Service: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) resources and events. Our Go! Kits contain books, science tools, a tablet, and more selected to encourage parents/caregivers and children to actively explore the world around them. We have Little Explorer Go! Kits for children ages 3-6 and Young Voyager Go! Kits for children ages 7-12.  What Our Guests Are Currently Reading:  Dana Alsup: Magpie Murders by Anthony Horowitz. Horowitz has also written for the television series Foyles War and Midsomer Murders. Dana also recently read Almost Sisters by Joshilyn Jackson. Nalani Devendra: Future Crimes by Marc Goodman Books, Magazines, Cooking Shows, and Other Items of Interest Mentioned During this Episode: 641.5: The call number for cookbooks at MCPL.  America's Test Kitchen: A  cooking show on WETA. The show has an extensive website that includes an archive of old shows. MCPL has a large collection of America's Test Kitchen cookbooks.  Barefoot Contessa: An American cooking show on the Food Network featuring celebrity chef Ina Garten, who has authored several cookbooks and has an extensive cooking website.   Bon Appetit: This food magazine is available in print at several MCPL branches. It is available online through our RBdigital Magazines service.  The Can't Cook Book: 100+ Recipes for the Absolutely Terrified by Jessica Seinfeld. Giada De Laurentis: Chef, writer, and television personality. Host of the Food Network's Giada at Home. MCPL owns many of her cookbooks.  Paula Deen: Celebrity chef, restaurant owner, and author. MCPL owns a number of her cookbooks.   First Bite by Bee Wilson: A look at how individual's food habits are formed.  The Forest Feast blog: Erin Gleeson's blog features mostly vegetarian recipes and entertaining ideas.   The Forest Feast: Simple Vegetarian Recipes from My Cabin in the Woods by Erin Gleeson The Forest Feast Gatherings: Simple Vegetarian Menus for Hosting Friends & Family by Erin Gleeson The Forest Feast for Kids: Colorful Vegetarian Recipes that Are Simple to Make by Erin Gleeson The Food Network: Cable and satellite television channel focused on food.  How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman Other Items of Interest: Flipster: An online collection of full color magazines that includes the magazines Food & Wine and Cooking Light.  RBdigital Magazines: This online collection of full color magazines includes several cooking magazines such as Bon Appetit, Eating Well, Food Network Magazine, and more.  Read the full transcript

It’s Halloween this week on Cooking Issues, and Dave and Nastassia are joined by friend of the show Paul Adams, who is dressed as a “test kitten.” Tune in to hear them talk about freezing juice, finishing meats cooked at low temperature, charcoal, boxed wine, holiday cocktails, and why sometimes pretending you’re dead is the only way to deal with life. Cooking Issues is powered by Simplecast

I'm going to go out on a limb here, or perhaps I should say on a sprig of rosemary: For those who care deeply about the state of home cooking today, the food-journalism landscape, or the Grateful Dead, this week's episode of Special Sauce, part two of my conversation with Milk Street founder Chris Kimball, is a must-listen. Going back over the transcript, I marveled anew at just how smart and thought-provoking and, yes, persnickety the bespectacled, bow tie–wearing Mr. Kimball really is, on every subject: how Serious Eats culinary director, Kenji López-Alt, was just as science-driven and obsessive about rigorous testing when he worked for Chris at Cook's Illustrated as he is now, the humorous side of Abraham Lincoln, the range of spices found in the cuisine of the Ottoman Empire, and the benefits of not just giving home cooks what they want, to name a few. It may be my favorite Special Sauce ever—it's that good—and if this podcast weren't already free, I'd offer a money-back guarantee that serious eaters everywhere will feel the same way after listening. (And if you don't, let us know. We'd love to hear your feedback.)

Meet the Clumps   Keywords/possible drinking game: Eye Holes, Infected, Burning   Makeup Milk Punch   NOTE: We straight up copied this from America's Test Kitchen. Here is their awesome recipe: Black Tea Port Milk Punch  Pics The disgusting makeup we made   Liz's beautiful self-makeover with our makeup. We promise she is not actually dying/dead. Here is our esteemed guest, professional makeup artist Tifanie White, completely cracking up while attempting to apply our makeup on Liz. Here is Liz after Tifanie applied real makeup to one half of her face and our terrible makeup to the other half. Can you guess which half is which? Hmmm... Music:  The Show Must Be Go Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/   Some product links are Amazon Affiliate links.

Mindset Digital's Content Strategist Jen Michaels gets Pete up to speed on a social network archiving platform that helps resolve the ancient muffin vs. cupcake debate. Plus, how to buy a saddle for your horse, the music Facebook thinks we like and the secret name for that thing they use in shoe stores to measure your foot. All good times. Check out digi.me, especially the About page instead Learn about digi.me's partnership with Iceland's Directorate of Health to provide medical data to Icelandic citizens About digi.me's investment relationship with Swiss Re, a global reinsurance company and digi.me's expansion plans General notes about digi.me's emerging partnerships in finance, healthcare, retail, etc. America's Test Kitchen on "What's the Difference Between a Muffin and a Cupcake?" [embedded YouTube video, on their blog]. That shoe measuring thing is called a Brannock Device #eponym Jen's blog, The Saddle Geek at http://www.thesaddlegeek.com/

Greg and Dave welcome Charlotte Wilder of SB Nation to talk about the Nashville Predators in the Stanley Cup Final, Boston as a hockey town, when Patriots fans attacked her, America's Test Kitchen, horse racing and "is this a sport?" Plus, our Stanley Cup Final picks, Ryan Getzlaf's dirty mouth, the P.K. Subban hate, Ottawa's empty seats and reader mail that includes pizza, MVPs and which sports franchise we would curse.

This week, we'll tell you everything you need to know about the vast and wonderful mystery genre! As always, we'll close with what we're reading. Books and other media mentioned in this episode: History of the genre:"The Murders at the Rue Morgue" by Edgar Allan PoeThe Woman in White by Wilkie CollinsThe Moonstone by Wilkie CollinsA Study in Scarlet by Arthur Conan DoyleAgatha Christie booksDorothy L. Sayers booksDashiell Hammett booksRaymond Chandler booksNancy Drew series by Carolyn KeeneHardy Boys series by Franklin W. DixonJames Patterson books Cozies:Masterpiece Mystery! (TV)Hercule Poirot series by Agatha ChristieMiss Marple series by Agatha ChristieLord Peter Wimsey series by Dorothy L. SayersNgaio Marsh booksJosephine Tey booksFlavia de Luce series by Alan BradleyMaisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline WinspearChief Inspector Armand Gamache series by Louise PennyA Goldy Bear Culinary Mystery series by Diane Mott DavidsonLaura Childs booksA Tea Shop Mystery series by Laura ChildsMrs. Murphy series by Rita Mae BrownThe Cat Who... series by Lillian Jackson BraunGoodreads Police Procedurals:Kurt Wallander series by Henning MankellLeaphorn & Chee series by Tony HillermanDublin Murder Squad series by Tana FrenchRachel Getty & Esa Khattak series by Ausma Zehanat KhanAmong the Ruins by Ausma Zehanat Khan Hardboiled:The Maltese Falcon by Dashiell HammettPhilip Marlowe series by Raymond ChandlerEasy Rawlins series by Walter MosleyDave Robicheaux series by James Lee BurkeHarry Bosch series by Michael ConnellyV.I. Warsawski series by Sara ParetskyThe Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler Softboiled:Stephanie Plum series by Janet EvanovichKinsey Millhone series by Sue Grafton Literary:Tana French booksThe Name of the Rose by Umberto EcoThe Luminaries by Eleanor CattonEpisode 16 - Favorite Reads of 2015My Name is Red by Orhan PamukOrhan Pamuk booksRipper by Isabel Allende Suspense and Thriller:Clive Cussler booksAlex Cross series by James PattersonMichael Connelly booksHarlan Coben booksMyron Bolitar series by Harlan CobenMary Higgins Clark booksGone Girl by Gillian FlynnThe Girl on the Train by Paula HawkinsThe Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia HighsmithBig Little Lies by Liane MoriartyBig Little Lies (TV) Crossover Genres:Shutter Island by Dennis LehaneHer Royal Spyness series by Rhys BowenThe Agency series by Y.S. LeeGaslight Mystery series by Victoria ThompsonAnne Perry booksAn Aunt Dimity Mystery series by Nancy AthertonSookie Stackhouse series by Charlaine HarrisThe Dresden Files series by Jim ButcherFever series by Karen Marie MoningThe Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra ClareTo Say Nothing of the Dog by Connie WillisDirk Gently series by Douglas AdamsPeter Grant/Rivers of London series by Ben AaronovitchRivers of London by Ben AaronovitchNora Roberts booksJ.D. Robb booksJulie Garwood booksLinda Howard books Resources:Stop, You're Killing Me!Cozy Mystery List What We're Reading This Week: Ann: Dorie's Cookies by Dorie Greenspan- Rachael Ray books- America's Test Kitchen books- America's Test Kitchen (TV)- Alton Brown books- Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi- Nigella Lawson books- Dorie Greenspan books- Dorie Greenspan on NPR- Dorie Greenspan in the Washington Post- Ina Garten books Halle: The Book of Unknown Americans by Christina Henríquez- Episode 44 - Spring 2017 Book Preview

January 26, 2017 at the Boston Athenæum. For the past 25 years (and long before it became a trend), America’s Test Kitchen has used the art of science to perfect cooking. America’s Test Kitchen’s carefully crafted process guarantees success through the use of biology, chemistry, and physics to ask big questions about how and why ingredients and cooking techniques work. Cook’s Science: How to Unlock Flavor in 50 of Our Favorite Ingredients distills thousands of kitchen tests and decades of recipes into a landmark cookbook that will change the way Americans cook at home. This book talk will explore the basic science behind different cooking methods that make their ingredients taste best.

The chef in the bow tie, Christopher Kimball, is the founder of Emmy-winning America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Illustrated magazine, and now Christopher Kimball's Milk Street. Mr. Kimball is old-school, and on this episode of YLM, Rachel digs into everything from table manners to his Rockwellian choice for last meal. Ever hear the expression "as American as apple pie?" Well, turns out that's not entirely accurate. We learn the history of apple pie, which apples make the best pie, and that there more passionate opinions about how to make this delicious treat than you knew existed - a la mode, anyone? Thanks to author, illustrator, and adorable person Jesse Oleson Moore from cakespy.com; poet and pie expert (she was an Iowa State Fair Pie Contest judge!) Kate Lebo of katelebo.com. Also, Rebecca Loions, International Marketing Director at The Washington State Apple Commission. Original music by Prom Queen.

Christopher Kimball, best known for America's Test Kitchen talks his new Milk Street Kitchen, and plays Delicious Combo. Plus a visit to a Filipino food festival for balut, duck egg embryo, for "Will She Eat It?"

Holland America just announced a culinary partnership with America's Test Kitchen in New York City. We were there for the announcement and had a chance to talk to the President of Holland America and one of the hosts of America's Test Kitchen about the partnership.  Heather recently returned from a seven-night Western Caribbean sailing about Carnival Cruise Line's Carnival Freedom from Galveston, Texas. Heather gives us the details of her sailing and a bow to stern review.   Thoughts or reviews? Email me: doug@cruiseradio.net    Find in-depth cruise news and ship reviews at https://cruiseradio.net

Sep. 5, 2015. Bridget Lancaster and Brian Roof present America's Test Kitchen's new cookbook "Cook's Country Eats Local: 150 Regional Recipes You Should Be Making No Matter Where You Live" at the 2015 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Speaker Biography: Bridget Lancaster is the executive food editor for new media, television and radio at America’s Test Kitchen. Since 1998, she has been a cast member of the America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country television shows, as well as a cohost for America’s Test Kitchen Radio. Lancaster is currently the lead instructor for the America’s Test Kitchen Cooking School and helps develop and produce courses for the school. Earlier in her career, she worked in restaurant kitchens in the south and northeast, primarily focusing on pastry. She is presenting America’s Test Kitchen’s new cookbook “Cook's Country Eats Local: 150 Regional Recipes You Should Be Making No Matter Where You Live." Speaker Biography: Bryan Roof is the executive editor of Cook’s Country magazine and an on-screen test cook for America’s Test Kitchen. In 2006, he became a test cook for Cook’s Illustrated and has since worked on various magazine, book and website projects. Roof is a registered dietician with degrees from Johnson and Wales University and Framingham State University. His career has taken him into the kitchens of some of the East Coast’s best restaurants. Roof is presenting America’s Test Kitchen’s cookbook, “Cook's Country Eats Local: 150 Regional Recipes You Should Be Making No Matter Where You Live." For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6962

The Athenæum holds an impressive collection of menus from Boston’s fine-dining establishments from the mid-nineteenth century, offering a glimpse into the tastes and trends of the past. Visit our Digital Collections page to view these elegant menus. Join Jack Bishop, editorial director of America’s Test Kitchen, for a discussion of the tastes and trends in food today as he talks about “100 Recipes: The Absolute Best Ways to Make the True Essentials”. If you could only have 100 recipes at your disposal, what would they be? In “100 Recipes”, the editors at America’s Test Kitchen present what they consider to be the recipes everyone should know how to make—these are the dishes that will give anyone the culinary chops they need to succeed in the kitchen. From everyday basics like tomato sauce, pork roast, and brownies to innovative classics like slow-roasted beef, poached chicken, and cheese soufflé to inspiring global dishes like Thai basil chicken, pho, and Spanish beef stew, cooks at all skill levels will find accessible recipes in this collection.

Will and Norm catch Adam up on their adventures at America's Test Kitchen and Star Wars Celebration, while Adam was away on tour.

Leave me voice mail feedback at: 971-208-5493 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kitchencounterpodcast Twitter: @TKCpodcast Email: feedback@kitchencounterpodcast.com If you liked what you heard, please consider subscribing in iTunes. You can also help out the show by leaving a positive review in the iTunes store (you know you want to)! 7 Cooking Myths Exposed Impress your friends and family during the holidays by disabusing them of their long held notions about any one of the following cooking myths. Everyone loves the know-it-all, right? Of course I jest. But seriously, I still believed a couple of these before researching this episode (but I'm not going to tell you which ones)! If you have a cooking myth you'd like to share please get in touch with me; there were many more I didn't include in this episode for the sake of time.   Bay leaves are poisonous if eaten I'm not sure who first told me this but for the longest time I used bay leaves under the assumption that they were poisonous to people if eaten, and that was why you ALWAYS removed bay leaves from your dishes before serving. After all, who wants to be the home cook that inadvertently feeds a family member or guest poison? The good news is that this just simply isn't true. Bay leaves sold for culinary uses are completely safe to eat. Where did this myth originate? Well, it likely has to do with the bay leaf's similar appearance to the leaf of the Mountain Laurel, which is poisonous to humans and livestock. And even though the bay leaf that's been simmering in your stew for a few hours isn't poisonous, you should still remove it before serving because it can remain stiff and could cause a choking hazard for your guests. By the way, for my west coast friends; leaves of the Oregon Myrtlewood, aka California Bay Laurel, can be used as a substitute for bay leaves in recipes, but are much stronger and should be used in smaller quantities.   Searing meat locks in juice This is probably the most common myth out there when it comes to cooking meat. How many times have you heard that you should get a good sear on that steak so when it cooks it will seal in the juices? Unfortunately this just doesn't pass muster. First of all, it's practically impossible to perfectly sear every square inch of surface on meat, so how would you even be able to create a perfect "envelope" to seal the juices in? It doesn't matter anyway because searing has nothing to do with juiciness in particular, but it does go along way to more flavorful meat. When you sear meat it turns brown, a process known as the "Maillard Reaction." Time and temperature have the most impact on juicy meat, as the longer you cook it and to higher temps, the drier the meat will turn out regardless of whether you seared it first or not. America's Test Kitchen did an experiment to test out the "searing first to lock in juice" theory; check it out here.   Cold water boils faster than warm water This one is so counter intuitive, it's any wonder it's been able to stick around as long as it has. I was told long ago that when you put a pot of water on the stove to boil, you should start with cold water because it will actually come to boil more quickly than if you start with warm water. Absolutely under equal conditions a pot of warm water will come to a boil faster than a pot of cold water, so why would anyone think otherwise? Well, there may be some psychological factors at play. Cold water will actually absorb heat more quickly that warm water, but once the temperature starts to rise, it will absorb heat more slowly, ultimately taking just as long to come to a boil as warm water once it reaches the temperature that the warm water started at. How did this myth start? It may have had something to do with some old advice about always using cold water for cooking. Why? Because in older homes with lead pipes or pipe fittings, using hot water can release more lead particles into the water. Check out this great youtube video showing the science behind the warm vs. cold boil debate: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Kak8EHAQyw   Alcohol completely cooks out of food How many times have you heard something like "don't worry, there isn't any alcohol left in that chicken marsala!" Oops, actually, there probably is. While it's true that alcohol cooks out of food to a large degree, it isn't likely that it all gets eliminated, unless you cook your dish for hours and hours. Generally there isn't enough alcohol in any dish to give you anything close to a buzz, but be aware that there are some folks that avoid alcohol for dietary or religious reasons. Here's a handy chart that shows you how much alcohol is retained with different cooking times and methods: http://homecooking.about.com/library/archive/blalcohol12.htm   Store coffee in the freezer to keep it tasting fresh This one is for you coffee drinkers, and yes I know, it doesn't really have anything directly to do with cooking, but what the heck. I've heard that storing coffee beans or grounds in the fridge or freezer is best to preserve the flavor over time. Well it turns out the opposite is probably true. According to the US National Coffee Association, you want to keep your coffee away from excessive air, moisture, heat and light, in that order. Storing in the freezer or fridge will expose your coffee to excessive amounts of moisture which will deteriorate the flavor of the beans or grounds. Not to mention the fridge and freezer is home to all sorts of funky odors that can be absorbed by your coffee, affecting the taste. Their advice? Store your coffee in an airtight container, in a dark cool place, away from the stove or cabinets that are exposed to heat sources.   Cooking food in the microwave destroys nutrients Microwaves have long been scapegoats for a variety of problems, both real and imagined. It's been said that microwaving food, especially vegetables, destroys the nutrients in the food. The truth is that when you expose vegetables to heat, depending on the intensity, duration, and water content, nutritional value can be destroyed. This can happen regardless of what tool you use; microwave, stove top, oven, etc. But when it comes to microwaving, it turns out to be one of the best methods to retain the most nutrients! If you prepare broccoli for example in a microwave safe container with a tight lid, and a little water, you will essentially steam the broccoli and retain many nutrients. By the way, a related charge against microwaves is that it irradiates or "nukes" your food, making it less safe to eat. This too is not true. Microwave radiation is non-ionizing radiation, meaning it doesn't have enough energy to change the atomic makeup of your food, only enough energy to excite the electrons, therefore heating it up.   Pork must be cooked well done to be safe to eat Long long ago, in a galaxy far far away...well, not that far away...pork had to be cooked to a dry, leathery consistency to be considered safe to eat. You see, there was this nasty little worm called Trichanella spiralis which thrived in pigs and could be transferred to a person if they ate undercooked pork. This little worm would infest a person's intestines, reproduce, then eventually burrow through their guts into their muscles. Wow, lovely. The great news is that because of modern pig farming and pork processing regulations, trichinosis is pretty much a thing of the past. Because of that, most cuts of pork can be cooked to a lower temperature and therefore will be more tender and juicy than those old leathery bits you remember from your childhood. The USDA says you can cook whole muscle meat (including pork) to 145 degrees F, then let rest. Of course with any ground meats, pork sausage etc should still be cooked to 160 degrees F. Click here for everything you'd ever want to know about pork from the USDA.  

Kinder sits out the first half of the episode while checking the rock quarry for Bee News Barrett, so LAURA fills in for him! Listen in as the crew becomes America's Test Kitchen, discusses a condom filled with ice cream, The Bing Bong Theory, Hello Kitty's more disturbing licensed products and all the things that grind their gears!