In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel and Mik talk about Chinese food that were invented in America!

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik explore the rich, but sad origins of Chinese food in America. They uncover that dishes like orange chicken, chop suey, or General Tso’s chicken are actually made in America, not China! In fact, Chinese food outside of China is much different than the food you would eat when you travel to China.

Mik and Angel also discover a simple formula to see whether a dish is Chinese-American or Chinese dish.

We apologize for the deep voices you hear in the background about 7 minutes in; Mik’s housemmates we’re having their own dinner party. We also have some helicopter and ambulance sounds coming in at the 25 minute mark. They had nothing to do with the loud dinner party downstairs… 

00:00 Opening Song

00:43 Show introduction

02:48 The history of how Chinese food arrived in America

07:44 The difference between the Chinese-American cuisine from the Chinese cuisine

12:58 Some examples of Chinese-American dishes: General Tso’s Chicken

14:18 Fortune cookies

15:25 Egg foo yung

16:10 Lemon chicken

17:11 Chop suey

18:21 Mu shu pork

19:10 Sweet and sour pork

19:35 Other examples of Chinese-American dishes, like orange chicken!

21:30 What is food like in China?

28:04 What’s in your palette?

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

Resources from today’s episode:

“11 "Chinese Foods" You Won't Find in China” by Rachel Deason

“Foods You Order From Chinese Restaurants That Aren't Authentic” by Jess Bolluyt 

“Theories on origin of other Chinese foods” by Monica End

“Lo Mein Loophole: How U.S. Immigration Law Fueled A Chinese Restaurant Boom” by Maria Godoy

“'Top Chef' Edward Lee on Why Lo-Mein Is as American as Apple Pie” by Christine Hsieh

“Chinese Dishes, American Style” by Fred Ferretti

“The Chop Suey Story” by Stephanie Butler

“Orange Chicken Food Fight: Panda Express vs Yang Chow” by Tien Nguyen“Differences Between Authentic Chinese Food and Chinese Food Overseas” by Gavin Van Hinsbergh

“8 Truths About American-Chinese Restaurants That Nobody Talks About” by Clarissa Wei

“Authentic Chinese Food” by Gred Rodgers

“Why there's no such thing as Chinese food” by David Tormsen

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel, Mik and Bianca talk about the Eids of Islam. This week we're looking at the second of the Muslim holidays or Eid, Eid Al Adha.

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik dive into the final part of a three-part series into the holidays of Islam! This time we are looking into Eid Al Adha, the Eid of all Eids! 

Bianca also talks about the fancy fashion stores in Dubai.

If you are new to the show, we recommend you start with the first part of this series, the Ramadan episode. You can find the link below:

YouTube

Google Podcasts

Spotify

Appl Podcasts

Pocket Casts

00:00 Opening Song 

00:43 Show introduction

03:09 When is Eid Al Adha?

04:40 The Holy Pilgrimage during Dhu al-Hijjah

07:00 What is Eid Al Adha?

09:02 What happens during Eid Al Adha

13:32 Qurbani

19:50 The savoury food of Eid Al Adha

31:55 Is it healthy?

32:20  Is it good?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“Ramadan 2019: 9 questions about the Muslim holy month you were too embarrassed to ask” by Jennifer Williams

“What Eid means for Muslims” by Fosterline

“Eid al-Fitr 2019: Everything you need to know” by Al Jazeera

“Eid al-Fitr 2020: When is it, how is it celebrated and how does Eid al-Fitr differ from Eid al-Adha” by Becky Pemberton and Sophie Roberts

“12 traditional Eid al-Fitr dishes from across the globe that you absolutely have to try” by Talah Bakdash

“What is Eid-ul-Adha?” by Muslim Aid

“Learn all about the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha” by CBC

“Here's what you need to know about Eid al-Adha, one of Islam's biggest holidays” by Amy Woodyatt

“Hajj 2019: The pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia” by CNN

“Eid Al-Adha 2019: When is it, how is it celebrated and how to wish someone a happy Eid” by Sabrina Barr

“8 Traditional Eid Dishes From Around The World Perfect For Eid Al-Adha 2019” by Megha Kaimal

“Eid-Al-Adha: What Food Do People Eat To Celebrate” by Josue Lucas Mitte and Olivia Petter

“Eid Al-Adha 2018: The Best Foods Consumed Around The World For The Muslim Celebrations” by Rachel Hosie

“Important Rules and Guidelines Regarding Qurbani” by Muslim AId

“Qurbani Rules” by Human Relief Foundation

“Qurbani Meat Distribution Rules” by Muslim Aid

“Easy Recipes for Qurbani Eid” by Nooha Sabanta Maula

“Hajj Pilgrimage Fast Facts” by CNN

“What is Hajj? A simple guide to Islams annual pilgrimage” by Yousra Zaki

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel, Mik and Bianca talk about the Eids of Islam. This week we're looking at the second part of the Muslim holiday, Eid Al Fitr.

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik dive into the second part of a three-part series into the holidays of Islam! This time we are looking into Eid Al Fitr, the festival that comes after Ramadan. Returning for this episode is special guest Bianca Gueco where she shares her first hand experience with Eid Al Fitr while she lived in Dubai. We also learn about Angel’s fascination for funnel cake and David Boreanaz.

Also, warning there are some sync issues on the video episode half-way through the episode. 

If you are new to the show, we recommend you start with the first part of this series, the Ramadan episode. You can find the link below:

YouTube

Google Podcasts

Spotify

Appl Podcasts

Pocket Casts

00:00 Opening Song 

00:43 Show introduction

02:39 When is Eid Al Fitr?

03:54 What is Eid Al Fitr?

11:11 Biance shares her experience with Eid Al Fitr

12:30 Halal

16:29 Regional differences in food fo Eid Al Fitr

30:49 Is it healthy?

31:89 Is it good?

33:04 What’s in your palette?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“Ramadan 2019: 9 questions about the Muslim holy month you were too embarrassed to ask” by Jennifer Williams

“What Eid means for Muslims” by Fosterline

“Eid al-Fitr 2019: Everything you need to know” by Al Jazeera

“Eid al-Fitr 2020: When is it, how is it celebrated and how does Eid al-Fitr differ from Eid al-Adha” by Becky Pemberton and Sophie Roberts

“12 traditional Eid al-Fitr dishes from across the globe that you absolutely have to try” by Talah Bakdash

“Significance of the six days of Shawwal” by Sheikh Salman Al-Oadah

“The 10 Most Delicious Eid al-Fitr Foods and Dishes From Around the World” by Lauren Cocking

“Celebrate Eid ul-Fitr with Food from Around the Muslim World” by Aqiylah Collins

“11 Things You Might Not Know About Eid Al-Fitr” by Stacy Conradt

“What is Eid al Fitr and Why Do Muslims Celebrate It?” by Angela Guzman

“What Is Halal Food? How Do You Prepare It?” by The Huffington Post Canada

“Sheer Khurma” by Manali

“Lapis Legit - Thousand Layers Cake” by Anita

“Doro Wat (Spicy Ethiopian Chicken Stew)” by The Daring Gourmet

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel, Mik and Bianca talk about the Eids of Islam. Starting with the Muslim holiday, Eid Al Fitr, specifically, Ramadan!

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik dive into the first part of a three-part series into the holidays of Islam starting with Ramadan! We also feature a special guest, Bianca Gueco, who is also our new editor in the show, to share her time living in Dubai where Muslim practices are much more common. 

Also, Bianca shares her stories on Ramadan including a voluminous story about rice that terrifies our rice-fearing Angel. If you want to see a first-hand look into the story click the link below to see Bianca’s video of preparing iftar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=547LSpcl4N0

00:00 Opening Song 

00:43 Show introduction

02:55 What is an Eid?

05:50 When is Ramadan? And the significance between solar and lunar calendars?

09:45 What is Ramadan?

19:20 The food of Ramadan: Suhoor

25:04 The food of Ramadan: Iftar

29:11 Is it healthy?

31:38 Is it good?

37:15 What’s in your palette?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“Ramadan 2019: 9 questions about the Muslim holy month you were too embarrassed to ask” by Jennifer Williams

“How to Fast for Ramadan in the Arctic, Where the Sun Doesn't Set” by Marya Hannun

“What Is Ramadan? Everything You Need to Know (But Were Afraid to Ask)” by Haaretz and The Associated Press

“What Eid means for Muslims” by Fosterline

“What Is the Difference Between the Lunar Calendar & the Solar Calendar?” by Kevin Lee

“The Five Pillars of Islam” by  Dr. Elizabeth Macaulay-Lewis

“What Is Laylat Al Qadr, The ‘Night Of Power?’” by The Huffington Post

“Ramadan 2019: Here's all you need to know about Suhoor and Iftar meals” by TNN

“Mesaharati: An ancient career fights extinction in digital age” by Mohammed El-Shamma

“30 foods to eat at suhoor to keep hunger at bay” by Salma Awwad

“Ramadan 2019: Foods to Eat At Suhoor To Remain Hydrated And Energised” by Adya Rai

“​​Ramadan Fasting: What to Eat During Iftar” by ​Alvin Chumari“8 Ramadan healthy eating iftar tips for those who fast, then feast” by Racha Adib

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel and Mik talk about a fun food celebration in Spain, the Calçotada.

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik discover the onion that gives the Spanish people a reason to party, the calçot!

Mik and Angel also do a food switch as Angel eats fancy food while Mik feeds on junk food. They also talk about their failed attempts at gardening. 

Also, no video for this episode today as Mik’s computer died shortly after this recording. You can even hear the fan struggle during the episode. 

00:00 Opening Song 

00:38 Show introduction

04:19 What’s in our palette?

07:40 Calçot facts!

15:21 Other things to do Valls, Spain

16:58 Origins of the calçot

17:56 Catalan cuisine

26:11 What is the calçotada?

27:39 Cooking the calçot

30:01 Eating the calçot

34:55 The food of the calçotada

38:39 Is it healthy? 

39:40 Is it good?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“Bizarre food rituals around the world you won't believe are real“ by Chris Heasman

“When Death Doesn’t Mean Goodbye” by Amanda Bennett

“The Living Dead: How The Toraja People Of Indonesia Honor Their Deceased” by Joel Stice

“Cleaning the dead: the afterlife rituals of the Torajan people” by Claudio Sieber

“Toraja Culture : People and History” by The Spice Route End

“Toraja Culture : Aluk To Dolo” by The Spice Route End

“Living with corpses: how Indonesia’s Toraja people deal with their dead” by Claudio Sieber

“Try to see This type of food is only found in Toraja” by Exploring Tana Toraja

“Our 15 best foods of Indonesia” by Sebastien

“Local Cuisine/Dishes of Toraja, Indonesia” by Jo Travel Guide

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel, Mik and Nic talk about the strangest dish they've ever encountered, Tong Zi Dan!

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel, Mik, and special guest Nick, talk about the strangest egg dish they’ve ever heard of, tong zi dan, or boy eggs. Yes, you heard it, boy eggs. Also known as virgin boy eggs. 

Angel and Nick also make their best attempts to guess what exactly are boy eggs before they discover the truth.

Again, apologies for the audio quality as we continue to record from separate homes because of well, the pandemic. The audio quality also changes at the 11 minute mark, so don’t be alarmed.

00:00 Opening Song 

00:38 Show introduction

01:44 Where can you get tong zi dan or virgin boy eggs?

02:48 Cuisine of the Zhejiang province 

11:09 What are virgin boy eggs?

14:08 The incomplete history of virgin boy eggs

18:25 How to make ton zi dan

22:19 Is it healthy?

23:58 Is it good?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“From Bull Testicles To ‘Virgin Boy Eggs’: The Most Challenging Local Delicacies Every Serious Foodie Traveller Has To Try” by Julia Buckley

“Urine-soaked eggs a spring taste treat in China city” by Royston Chan

“China's Urine-Boiled Eggs Are a Cultural Delicacy I Will Not Try” by Andrew Tarantola

“Tongzi Dan: Boy Eggs” by Atlas Obscura

“Urine Soaked Boiled Eggs: A Chinese Delicacy” by Kaushik Patowary

“Recipe for a Chinese Ritual Dish: Eggs, Time and Plenty of Urine” by Dan Levin

“Boy Eggs” by Frank Kasell

“Zhe Cuisine/Zhejiang Cuisine — The Mellow Seafood of Zhejiang” by Gavin Van Hinsbergh

“Zhejiang Cuisine – Fresh Seafood Dishes with Light Taste” by Travel China Guide

“Zhejiang Cuisine” by Yanlin

“The Top 10 Hangzhou Foods (What to Eat in Hangzhou)” by Chris Quan

“Ningbo Cuisine” by China Daily

“Shaoxing Cuisine” by Absolute China Tours

“Shaoxing Dining - What to Eat” by Travel China Guide

“Tradition and innovation: the rebirth of Wenzhou cuisine” by Yang Hao

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

During this outtake, Mik is overcome with giggles as he explains the hilarity of one of the cures for the plague: The Vicary Method.

You can catch the full episode of “Cures” For The Plague by clicking the link below

https://youtu.be/lCajugLntH4

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik explore the horrible world of the Black Plague and all the kinds of cures people ingested in hopes to survive. We also discover that Angel’s favorite subject during high school was the very same plague. 

Meanwhile, Angel eats squid sheets while watching Squid Games while Mik has a 2-hour long lunch.

00:00 Opening Song 

00: 11 Show introduction 

02:04 What’s in your palette?

06:48 Origins of the plague

12:56 The cause of the plague: y. pestis

14:34 The effects of the plague in history

15:56 Three types of plagues

17:08 Bubonic plague

22:21 Pneumonic plague

23:55 Septicaemic plague

26:49 Plague facts

31:47 Medicine during the plague (the four humors)

36:38 Plague cures that didn’t work: animal cures

44:02 Plague cures that didn’t work: other cures

51:39 Plague cures that didn’t work: gross cures

57:23 The only method to prevent getting the plague 

01:01:15 The plague today

01:01:43 Is it healthy? Is it good?

01:02:35 What’s the next course?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“Vampire History” by A&E Television Networks

“Vampires: Fact, Fiction and Folklore” by Benjamin Radford

“Vampire myths originated with a real blood disorder” by Michael Hefferon

“The Bloody Truth About Vampires” by Becky Little

“Six Ways to Stop a Vampire” by National Geographic

“A sharp, sweet tooth: Vampires, junk food, and dangerous appetites in the lost boys and the hunger” by Thomas Fahy

“Plants Effective Against Vampires” by Vampedia

“How to Kill a Vampire” by Benjamin Radford

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel and Mik discover the largest food fight in the world, La Tomatina!

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik talk about the largest food fight in the world, La Tomatina! They discover it’s simple origins and how the festival works today.

They also talk about Instagram filters and Valencia, the region, not the filter. Angel also talks about La Tomatina in movies that feature Kevin, not our resident turtle.

If you want to share how you will do your own wine festival at home, remember to use the #pandemictomatofight and tag us @geekhappynetwork on Instagram.

00:00 Opening Song 

00:38 Show introduction

02:10 What’s in your palette?

03:50 Where is La Tomatina?

04:42 What’s in Valencia

07:21 The food of Valencia and Buñol

08:32 What’s in Buñol

09:42 When is La Tomatina?

10:55 The origins of La Tomatina

17:05 La Tomatina today

21:23 The food during La Tomatina

23:55 Similar festivals around the world

26:38 Is it healthy?

27:53 Is it good?

Resources from today’s episode:

Wikipedia

“What Is La Tomatina, How Did It Begin And Where Does It Take Place?” by Sabrina Barr

“A Brief History of La Tomatina Buñol” by AESU

“10 Things You Didn't Know About La Tomatina, Spain's Messiest Festival” by Clare Speak

“La Tomatina: Epic tomato fight leaves Spanish town stained by saucy skirmish” by Josh K Elliot

“15 Best Things to Do in Valencia (Spain)” by The Crazy Tourist

“Buñol“ by Taste Atlas

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

In preparation for a new season of the Smörgåsbord Podcast, we're reliving some old episodes of the show.

This week, we look back at the time when Angel and Mik look at all the things lacking in American cereal!

In today’s episode of Smörgåsbord, Angel and Mik talk about cereal and the lack of nutrition and women mascots. Yes! If you think about it, do you remember growing up with any cereal mascots who are women? And also, is it really a big deal? 

In other news, we get new equipment and Angel tries fancy high tea.

00:00 Opening Song

00:43 Show introduction

03:02 History of cereal

11:09 How cereal is made

12:23 Health in cereal

18:29 Mascots in cereal

21:01 Origins of some cereal mascots (Captain Crunch, Rice Krispies, Trix, Frosted Flakes, Lucky Charms)

33:07 Where did all the female cereal mascots go?

38:50 How about female mascots in breakfast food as a whole?

41:25 Does cereal taste good?

42:45 What’s in your palette?

Smörgåsbord Podcast is a show where we explore the rituals, myths and all things strange about the world of food. If you like what you hear, remember to subscribe to the show to get new episodes automatically downloaded to your device!

Want to connect with us? Give us a follow on Instagram @smorgiespod and leave us a message. We'd love to hear from you.

This podcast is presented by Halo Halo Productions. Come check out their other shows at halohaloproductions.com 

Resources from today’s episode:

“Ever Notice That There Aren’t Any Female Breakfast Cereal Mascots?” by Doug Barry

“Troubling: What’s missing in the world of cereal mascots?” by Brandon James

“Pour yourself a bowl of unfairness” by Denise Snodell

“You know Tony the Tiger, but what about Katy the Kangaroo?” By Dave Benson

“A Short History of Cereal” by Kim Severson

“Breakfast cereals ranked best to worst” by British Heart Foundation

“Breakfast Cereals: Healthy or Unhealthy?” by Hrefna Palsdottir, MS

“The Stories Behind Your Favorite Cereal Mascots” by College Weekend

“Breakfast cereal mascots: Beloved and bizarre” by David Morgan

“How Cereal Became the Quintessential American Breakfast” by Jaya Saxena

“Then and Now: The Evolution of Cereal Mascots” by Joshua Johnson