Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio

By Milk Street Radio

Arts Food

What's Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio about?

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio travels the world to find the most fascinating food stories—including children who harvest cod tongues after school in Norway and a detective who tracks down food thieves. And on Milk Street Radio, you can always find the unexpected: a visit to the Museum of Failure, the joys of eyeball Jell-O and how to eat your way through Italy.  Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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Chocolate Flan, Cactus Sorb...

06.02.2023

This week, we taste the sweeter side of Mexican cuisine with chef Fany Gerson. Traveling from Mexico City to Veracruz to Oaxaca, we explore regional confections like chili-flavored paletas and guava and cheese doughnuts. Plus, we take a seat at ...

Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio episodes:

06.02.2023 Chocolate Flan, Cactus Sorbet and Guava Doughnuts: The Amazing World of Mexican Desserts This week, we taste the sweeter side of Mexican cuisine with chef Fany Gerson. Traveling from Mexico City to Veracruz to Oaxaca, we explore regional confections like chili-flavored paletas and guava and cheese doughnuts. Plus, we take a seat at ...
05.26.2023 Cooking Over Fire: Lessons From the Levant This week, Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich, the husband-and-wife team behind London’s Honey & Co., tell us about chasing the smell of smoke through the alleyways of Jordan and the markets of Egypt in search of the secrets of grilled ...
05.19.2023 White House Noshes: What Presidents Really Eat Jefferson ate capon, Eisenhower craved squirrel soup and Grant had a habit of throwing bread across the table. This week, we go into the White House with Alex Prud’homme to hear culinary stories from presidential history, like how Julia Child ...
05.12.2023 Claire Ptak Is in Love (with a Pink Cake) We’re joined by baker Claire Ptak, whose desserts are a winning combination of California flavor and London style—and even royalty agrees. She shares her favorite recipes and reveals the behind-the-scenes details of being chosen to bake the cake for Prince ...
05.05.2023 Pickles, Life and Death: The World of Fermentation Fermentation expert Sandor Katz takes on a journey around the globe for a look at some of the world’s greatest fermented foods. He tells us about the joys of making sauerkraut and why fermentation may hold the secret to life. ...
04.28.2023 Salmon Wars: The Dark Underbelly of Our Favorite Fish Investigative journalists Doug Frantz and Catherine Collins take us inside the farmed salmon industry to explore the open net pens, health effects and future of America's favorite fish. Plus, Homa Dashtaki shares the traditional Iranian method for making creamy old-world ...
04.21.2023 1,001 Bites: The Wonders of the Arab Table Palestinian cookbook author Reem Kassis discusses her latest cookbook, “The Arabesque Table,” which takes a fresh look at defining Arab cooking. Plus, we learn how food is used to create Hollywood sound effects, discover what people 80 years ago thought ...
04.14.2023 Corpse Cakes and Funeral Pie: A Short History of Eating Grief We’re joined by death scholar Candi K. Cann to learn how food is used in grieving rituals around the world, from ancient Roman funeral tubes to shiva bagels. Plus, we dive into the murky riverbeds of Oklahoma to get a ...
04.07.2023 The Museum of Food Failures: From Crystal Pepsi and Life Savers Holes to Gerber Adult Singles Dr. Samuel West is back to teach us about history’s greatest food failures, from Colgate’s frozen meals to the time Gerber made food for grown-ups. Plus, Massimo Montanari helps us uncover the true history of spaghetti; J. Kenji López-Alt tells ...
03.31.2023 The Secrets of Salt: History, Science, and Cooking with Naomi Duguid This week, we explore our most essential pantry staple: salt. Naomi Duguid takes us around the world to learn its history, from Cambodia to Basque Country to an underground salt cathedral in Poland, while Alex Aïnouz gets obsessed with making ...
03.24.2023 The Mystery of Taste: Beyond Sweet, Sour, Salty & Bitter Are humans the only species that loves sour? Does everyone taste bitter the same way? And could there be flavors we can’t even comprehend yet? Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott from NPR’s “Short Wave” join us to explore the amazing ...
03.17.2023 Like Carrots for Meat: The Irish Food Revolution with Chef Jp McMahon We go beyond soda bread and shepherd's pie to discover the new Irish cooking with chef Jp McMahon. We discuss why the Irish ate very little seafood, how leftover cake was turned into a new dessert, the joys of frying ...
03.10.2023 Corner Store Meets Restaurant? Omar Tate Risks Everything to Open Honeysuckle Provisions Chef Omar Tate has spent the last few years building a grocery cafe in West Philadelphia that reimagines the corner store. He tells us how he interprets Black culinary traditions with menu items like hoagies and black-eyed pea scrapple, and ...
03.03.2023 The Perfect Cup: Great Homemade Coffee with James Hoffmann YouTube coffee expert James Hoffmann shares the best, worst and weirdest coffee in the world—from his tried-and-true recipe for the ultimate cup at home to the time he tasted 70-year-old beans in Japan. Plus, Don and Petie Kladstrup tell us ...
02.24.2023 I Grew Up in a Chinese Takeaway: Angela Hui Tells All Angela Hui tells the story of her childhood growing up in her family’s Chinese restaurant—there are flaming woks, short tempers and zero privacy. Plus, we’re joined by journalist Jenn Harris to learn how influencers are making their mark on the ...
02.17.2023 Soul Food Love: Five Kitchens, Four Generations Mother and daughter Alice Randall and Caroline Randall Williams tell us what studying the cooking of four generations of women in their family has taught them about the origins of soul food. Plus, we speak with international bagel consultant Beth ...
02.10.2023 Nigella on Nigella This week, we interview Nigella Lawson. We discuss what’s to love about brown food, what’s to hate about tasting menus and what everyone gets wrong about cooks. For Valentine's Day, we explore the life of chocolatier Milton Hershey, make a ...
02.03.2023 Inside the Incredible World of Japanese Cooking with Sonoko Sakai Sonoko Sakai teaches us about real Japanese home cooking—from the world’s easiest broth to bento boxes to the surprising way she kneads her udon dough. Plus, we investigate counterfeit caviar with David Gauvey Herbert; we share our recipe for a ...
01.27.2023 Matty Matheson: Catfish Noodling and Making “The Bear” This week, we get inside the mind of Matty Matheson, actor and culinary consultant on the hit TV comedy “The Bear.” Matheson reveals his thoughts on internet stardom, what it takes to open five restaurants in two years and why ...
01.20.2023 The Food of Ukraine with Olia Hercules Ukrainian chef, author and activist Olia Hercules shares recipes and traditions from her home, and how she’s coping after almost one year of war. Plus, Jess Edberg tells the story of Dorothy Molter, who sold hundreds of bottles of root ...
01.13.2023 The Science of Stir-Fry with J. Kenji López-Alt J. Kenji López-Alt gives us a lesson on Wok 101 and reveals the science behind great stir-fry. Plus, Cheryl Day joins Christopher Kimball to tackle your baking questions about everything from powdered milk to cardamom buns; cookbook author Chelsea Monroe-Cassel ...
01.06.2023 Weird Fruit: From Medlars and Huckleberries to Yuzu We tackle difficult fruits with author Kate Lebo. She introduces us to the world of rare fruits that are hard to find, harvest, prepare or just plain love. Plus, we study the staples of Gabonese cooking with chef Anto Cocagne, ...
12.30.2022 Inside Mexico with Pati Jinich Pati Jinich is on a quest to show people what Mexico looks like and tastes like. She breaks down the common denominators of Mexican cuisine, tells us why she lives and dies for her blender and reveals her favorite recipes ...
12.23.2022 Rachael Ray at Home This week, it’s Rachael Ray! She tells us about re-making a home after her house burned down, her best friendship with her Sicilian grandfather and why her lifelong affinity for Eeyore might inspire her to get a tattoo. Plus, baking ...
12.16.2022 Holiday Cookies with Rose Levy Beranbaum This week, we’re getting ready for the holidays. Rose Levy Beranbaum shares everything we need to know about baking cookies—from favorite equipment and core techniques to her ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe. Plus, we go to Oaxaca to experience the ...
12.15.2022 Baking Special: Magic Cakes, Muffin Madness and Computer Cookies In this special episode, we share a few of our favorite moments about baking. Cheryl Day—cookbook author, co-owner of Back in the Day Bakery in Savannah, Georgia, and now Milk Street Radio guest co-host—reveals her tips for perfect biscuits, cakes ...
12.09.2022 Waiter Confidential: The Dark Side of Parisian Dining This week, we go behind the scenes of French restaurants with writer and former waiter Edward Chisholm to experience the chaotic rush of Sunday brunch, discover where waiters go on their time off and find out what happens to your ...
12.02.2022 Food Wars: Marion Nestle vs. Corporate Food What could the future food system look like? Food and public health writer Marion Nestle shares her vision, along with stories from her life. We also get a lesson in how to truly taste water from water advocate, sommelier and ...
11.25.2022 Secrets of Classic German Baking Author Luisa Weiss offers some of her favorites from Eisenbahnschnitten to Kartoffelstrudel. Plus, journalist Rowan Jacobsen demystifies the truffle, Adam Gopnik talks luxury foods, and we learn how to make a creamy Amalfi-style lemon risotto. Get this week’s recipe for ...
11.18.2022 Thanksgiving Special With Cheryl Day, Jet Tila, J. Kenji López-Alt and Nigella Lawson Our Thanksgiving special is here, and we’re ready to help you with the big day! We take your calls with special guest co-hosts Jet Tila and Cheryl Day and share recipes and ideas from J. Kenji López-Alt, Sohla El-Waylly, Mary ...
11.11.2022 Please Feed Phil! The Creator of “Everybody Loves Raymond” Tries to Eat Everything We chat with Phil Rosenthal, creator of “Somebody Feed Phil,” about eels in Japan, mold at Noma and his most memorable scene from “Everybody Loves Raymond.” Plus, Irina Georgescu gives us a lesson in Romanian baking, from delicious snack pies ...
11.04.2022 Is The Real Soul Food Health Food? This week, the editor of 4 Color Books, Bryant Terry, celebrates the long history of veganism in Black cuisine to tell the real story of soul food. Plus, archaeologist Farrell Monaco reveals what the ashes of Pompeii can tell us ...
11.02.2022 Nigella Speaks Out: Tasting Menus, Brown Food and The Sound of Music Before her tour across America, Nigella Lawson returns to Milk Street for a new special episode. She shares her stories from the Dangerous Sports Club, her love for plain cake and why there’s nothing worse than going out for Christmas ...
10.28.2022 Trick or Treat! Celebrate Halloween with a Dinner for the Dead This week, we’re celebrating the holiday of tricks and treats with Halloween scholar Lesley Bannatyne. She teaches us how to emulate the romping Halloween parties of the Victorian era, complete with matchmaking games and dinners for the dead. Plus, we ...
10.27.2022 Lost Family Recipes Special: Solving the Mystery of Forgotten Family Favorites On this special episode, we share some of our favorite listener calls about family recipe mysteries, from recreating a molasses cookie recipe missing half its instructions to fixing the crust on a custard pie found in a great-grandmother's handwritten cookbook. ...
10.21.2022 Mofongo, Pinchos and Campbell’s Soup: The True Story of Puerto Rican Food in the Diaspora Illyanna Maisonet takes us on a culinary journey through Puerto Rico and its diaspora. She reveals the secrets to her guava barbecue sauce, the only flan she’ll ever eat and the best way to cook rice. Plus, Kim Severson tells ...
10.14.2022 The Dog-Eat-Dog World of Ballpark Vendors Nick Fountain from NPR’s “Planet Money” shares the skills and strategy it takes to sell food at the ballpark. Plus, chef Angela Dimayuga gives us a crash course in Filipino flavors and techniques; we learn about the language of eating ...
10.07.2022 Cooking for Space Aliens and Vampire Queens: Meet Food Stylist Janice Poon We enter the world of intergalactic sushi joints and cannibal banquets with food stylist Janice Poon. She tells us about her work on horror and sci-fi films, from feeding vegan vampires to wrangling snails to make arm escargot. Plus, we ...
10.05.2022 Food Science Special: Million-Layer Puff Pastry and More! In this special episode, we share a few of our favorite moments about getting experimental in the kitchen. Alex Aïnouz attempts to bake a 1 million-layer puff pastry; J. Kenji López-Alt shares the perfect way to make potatoes; and we ...
09.30.2022 Jacques Pépin: The Art of The Chicken This week, we’re celebrating French cuisine. Jacques Pépin offers a masterclass in deboning chicken and recalls his early days tending the coal stove at the Plaza Athénée. Plus, Aleksandra Crapanzano provides tips for effortlessly Parisian cakes; Alex Aïnouz puts a ...
09.23.2022 Butter Cows, Ugly Cakes and Blue Ribbons: Welcome to the State Fair! We dive into the world of state, county and agricultural fairs with Marla Calico to learn about their history, impact and why roast beef sundaes are all the rage at fairgrounds across the country. Plus, we head to the Iowa ...
09.16.2022 The Secret History of Home Economics Author Danielle Dreilinger tells us the surprising history of home economics. We hear about its origins as a scientific movement that wanted to change the world and find out how it brought us Betty Crocker, astronaut food and the Rice ...
09.14.2022 Milk Street Special: Italy's Best Kept Food Secrets In this special episode, we share a few of our favorite moments about Italy's culinary treasures from the last few years. Vicky Bennison takes us behind the scenes of Pasta Grannies, her YouTube channel that documents Italian grandmothers making pasta ...
09.09.2022 Michael Twitty's Kosher Soul Writer and historian Michael Twitty shares the stories and foods of the African and Jewish diasporas. Plus, we explore the wide world of breakfast cereals with Gabe Fonseca, make spaghetti with parsley pesto and consider the apple with Dan Pashman. ...
09.02.2022 From Asia with Love: Guangdong Meets Sydney Cookbook author Hetty McKinnon tells us about her Chinese-Australian upbringing, Vegemite brownies and why her mother calls to FaceTime her wok. Plus, we talk to the Trappist monk running the only Trappist Brewery in the U.S., learn to make the ...
08.26.2022 Eyeball Jell-O: Rhett & Link Taste-Test Everything Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, hosts of “Good Mythical Morning,” extol the virtues of Twinkie Jell-O, order all the food off the Taco Bell menu through song and tell us what you’re not allowed to eat on YouTube. Plus, we ...
08.19.2022 Summer Show! Ice Cream, Tomatoes, Watermelon, Corn and Fruit Crostata This week, we’re diving into the foods of summer. Culinary historian Tonya Hopkins tells us about the Black innovators who made ice cream what it is today; Bill Alexander reveals the history and fate of the tomato; artist Ana Inciardi ...
08.17.2022 Milk Street Special: Pro Grilling, Recipes and Techniques In this special episode, we share a few of our favorite moments about grilling from the last few years. We chat with Meathead about how to grill the perfect steak; Sarit Packer and Itamar Srulovich of Honey & Co. share ...
08.12.2022 Eric Ripert and the Art of Cooking Vegetables Chef Eric Ripert teaches us how to make vegetables the star of the plate, the secrets of his restaurant Le Bernardin and why he believes every fish has its own unique personality. Plus, we take a deep dive into the ...
08.05.2022 Pro Secrets of Homemade Pasta: Missy Robbins Tells All Missy Robbins, chef and founder of Lilia and Misi in Brooklyn, teaches a masterclass in making pasta at home—she explains why her noodle recipes include a copious number of egg yolks, why she often leaves salt out, and her secret ...

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