Welcome to the very first episode of Geek Eats! Join hosts Mr. Daps and Sarah Stubbs as they bring food and fandom together. In this premiere, the duo takes a deep dive into Pixar’s Cars franchise as it celebrates its 20th anniversary, sharing nostalgic memories of the films, analyzing why Cars 2 and Cars 3 hold up, and geeking out over the unmatched immersion of Cars Land at Disney California Adventure.

Then, it's time to pivot from the screen to the stove! Mr. Daps and Sarah take on the challenge of crafting original, Cars-inspired recipes in their own kitchens, walking through their step-by-step cooking journeys, flavor profiles, and kitchen wins.

In This Episode, You’ll Hear:

• Icebreaker Catch-Up: Sarah discusses making an un-veganized grilled avocado, burrata, and arugula sandwich while rewatching Disney's The Sword in the Stone. Mr. Daps shares his autumnal Trader Joe's-inspired pumpkin and burrata parpardelle dish and his thoughts on Star Trek: Strange New Worlds.

• Franchise Retrospective: A look back at 20 years of Pixar's Cars—from Route 66 road-trip nostalgia in the original film, to the underrated spy-thriller fun of Cars 2, to the emotional gut-punch of Doc Hudson's legacy in Cars 3.

• Theme Park Immersion: Personal memories of stepping into Radiator Springs for the very first time, the magical sunset "Sh-Boom" moment, and favorite eats around Cars Land (including Cozy Cone popcorn and Flo’s V8 Cafe).

• Sarah's Recipe: Cozy Cone-Style Buffalo Ranch Popcorn — A quick, 5-minute flavor-packed copycat treat using Pop Secret movie-theater butter popcorn tossed in a custom dry buffalo and ranch seasoning blend.

• Mr. Daps' Recipe: Route 66 High-Octane Pit Stop Potatoes — An ambitious homemade comfort dish featuring slow-cooked Mexican Coca-Cola barbecue baked beans, crispy/fluffy baked potatoes, and tender skillet-seared steak burnt ends.

Featured Recipes & Where to Find Them:

Want to cook along with us? Find full ingredients, instructions, and photos for both original recipes at GeekEats.net.

Connect & Follow:

• Geek Eats: Find recipes and updates on Instagram, Threads, and BlueSky [@GeekEatsPodcast].

• Sarah Stubbs: Visit 2GeeksWhoEat.com or follow on socials [@DCSarah].

• Mr. Daps: Visit DapsMagic.com or follow on socials [@MrDaps].

Make it a great week, keep kind, and happy eating!

In this introduction to Geek Eats, hosts Mr. Daps and Sarah Stubbs explore the intersection of fandom and food, sharing their journey into creating recipes inspired by popular culture. They discuss the origins of Geek Eats, memorable experiences at Disneyland, and plans for future episodes focused on fandom-themed culinary creations.

key topics

• The origin of Geek Eats and its evolution
• Memorable Disney food experiences like Firecracker Duckwings
• The impact of technology on remote podcasting and content creation
• The process of creating fandom-inspired recipes
• Future plans for episodes focused on specific fandoms like Cars

takeaways

• Fandom and food can come together to create unique culinary experiences
• Memorable Disney food moments can inspire long-term projects
• Technology has made remote content creation more accessible and high quality
• Creating recipes inspired by pop culture requires creativity and flexibility
• Planning and locking in recipes helps streamline content creation