Hungry Squared: Where the brain and belly meet

On this week's episode, we interview Melissa Bahen of Lulu the Baker and the new book Scandinavian Gatherings: From Afternoon Fika to Midsummer Feast, and delve a little more into the concept of hygge and how Scandinavians gather with one another. She gives us some history of different aspects of the Scandinavian and Nordic countries and how to make your own gathering with food and decorations that are perfectly hyyge! Go to https://www.etsy.com/shop/LulutheBakerShop and enter HUNGRYSQUARED to get 20% through May 31, 2017. Also, we're giving away one of Melissa's books at www.instagram.com/hungrysquared/. Contest ends April 28, 2017 at 11:59 pm, so enter now!

Let's taco 'bout it!

Our episode is brought to you today by Zip Schedules, an online employee scheduling software that makes making a schedule a piece of cake! Go to zip schedules.com to get 30 days free, PLUS our listeners get an additional 20% off each month for up to year when they sign up and enter the code HUNGRY. Thanks, Zip Schedules!

This week we're tackling a listener request: it's all about roux, the thickener of sauces. We talk about the different types of roux and how to make one. Then we delve into some very old history of roux, then discuss the science behind the starch + fat + heat + movement that creates that lovely mixture that helps you thicken up your soups and sauces. Then we help a Food Fight listener with an environmental concern that is weighing on her mind.

Let's taco 'bout it!

Our episode is brought to you today by Zip Schedules, an online employee scheduling software that makes making a schedule a piece of cake! Go to zip schedules.com to get 30 days free, PLUS our listeners get an additional 20% off each month for up to year when they sign up and enter the code HUNGRY. Thanks, Zip Schedules!

This week, we talk all about menu engineering and the psychology of menu design with special guest and neuroemotional psychologist and brander, Ali Craig. She breaks down each part of the menu and what kind of game the restaurant brand is trying to play. By the end of our discussion, we feel like we've been duped this entire time! Visit Ali and find a fun restaurant cheat sheet at her site alicraig.co.

We also help a Food Fight listener (and Winter) figure out what's allowed in her new garbage disposal.

Let's taco 'bout it!

Go to www.hungrysquared.com for all our show notes and don't forget to write in your listener mail to [email protected].

On this week's episode, we talk to the ever knowledgable Anna Curran, founder of the online service Cookbook Create, about the history of cookbooks. She delves into the oldest cookbooks and how certain things, like literacy and the internet, changed cookbooks and how they are presented. Did you know there is a recipe for a hamburger that dates to the 4th century in a Roman cookbook? Crazy! Anna has given our listeners a special surprise, so go to the show notes at www.hungrysquared.com to see what you get! Also, if you are looking for a cool and unique gift for Mother's Day, bridal shower, or wedding, you can make your own cookbook at www.CookbookCreate.com. Thanks again, Anna!

We also help our Food Fight listener differentiate between tomato paste and tomato sauce.

Let's taco 'bout it!

On this week's episode of food nerdery, we are teasing out the differences between ice cream, gelato, custard, and other sundry frozen desserts. Of course, we had to conduct a scientific experiment and try out five different frozen treats before recording! We talk all about the history of ice cream, percentages of fat and sugar, and go into ice creams that are served around the world.

Then we help our Food Fight listener pick her battle when it comes to dessert. It was surprising!

Let's taco 'bout it!

You can find all the show notes for today's episode at www.hungrysquared.com.

On this week's episode, we take a look behind the curtain of how a food product gets on your local grocery store shelves as we interview Sarah Jones of the Miss Jones Baking Co. It was fun to chat with her about her love of baking and how she wanted to bring that home-baked flavor to consumers. She tells us how she came up with her idea of creating the next home baking company that produces organic and vegan (or vegan friendly) frostings and baking mixes, how she found a food scientist, and eventually a manufacturer to create her products.

We're having an contest on Instagram to win a prize pack from Miss Jones Baking Co, so head over to https://www.instagram.com/missjonesbakes/?hl=en for more details.

We also help a Food Fight listener not be such a bad date. Yikes!

Let's taco 'bout it!

We are going bananas for bananas this week! We talk all about the fascinating life of a banana, especially the sad history of the Gros Michael variety, then onto the Cavendish variety. We also talk about what happens when a banana browns. It's surprising!

We also help our Food Fight listener fight off some spouse guilt.

Let's taco 'bout it!

Find our show notes at www.hungrysquared.com. #trypod

Because of an awesome listener email, we talk all about vinegar and the different types, and delve a little deeper into how balsamic vinegar is made, the different compounds that are found in balsamic vinegar, and how Winter likely has never had Traditional Balsamic Vinegar before in her life. Crazy!

We also talk about how everyone has cooking fails and how to bounce back from them during our Food Fight segment.

Let's taco 'bout it!

On this week's episode, we had the privilege of interviewing one of our food heroes, Christopher Kimball of Milk Street (and formerly of America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Illustrated, and Cook's Country). He describes Milk Street's mission as global, how they aim to give their audience a new approach to cooking, and how the recipes that they're exploring are simply someone else's dinner somewhere in the world. He also shares some of the fun discoveries and wins they've had at Milk Street. We had such a great time talking with Chris and we know you'll enjoy this interview. Go to www.hungrysquared.com for the extensive show notes.

We also help our Food Fight listener figure out ways to get her kids into the kitchen, cooking, prepping, and planning meals. It's gonna get messy!

Let's taco 'bout it!

Happy President's Day! This week we have a mini-episode and Lee (Winter's hubby and our tech guy) is filling in for Sharon, and we're speculating what were George Washington's and Abraham Lincoln's favorite foods. We are definitely not qualified historians and our guesses our out in left field, but it sure was fun to learn a little bit more about our past presidents.

Let's taco 'bout it!