Vittles and Vitals

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob take a road trip. Or is it a vacation?  Is there a difference?  Well, yes, there is.  At least they think so.  They recount some of their favorites, and give tips on how to plan: the Vittles and Vitals Road Recs, one might call them.  Mostly, though - as expected - they discuss planning trips around restaurants (and pennies), the ideal snacks for the road, and how to keep Mom happy (it’s mostly about coffee.)  Of course, the best Road Rec is to find a podcast and binge listen along the way.  Why not this one?!

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob talk summer camp.  After a hiatus brought to you by a severe lack of available cellular signal in rural Texas, Jay and Jacob are back in the studio for Season Three.  Summer camp memories are strong, and it's not all holding hands, crying, and singing Kumbaya baya the faya.  (Just say it out loud.  You'll get it.)  Jay talks "circle of life", summer camp style, and the untimely demise of the site where he met the 7th grade version of a now-famous person.   Jacob's fave camp promoted him from counselor to chief bottle washer, which gave him an inside look at how a camp kitchen works -but you won't believe the food they served.  Listen and remember your favorite camp stories.  Then listen s'more.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob converse about their addiction. To books, that is. They throw thankful shade on those who got them into reading, those who currently feed the addiction, and the books that sustain them. No genre is left behind. (Actually, that’s not true - they have standards. But they do read widely.) They talk numbers of books printed, numbers of books read, and numbers of books in the house that are yet unread - they are legion. And food isn’t left out. If anyone thought the only books about food were cookbooks, anyone would be wrong. Novels, scientific treatises, chef quote collections, and books about restaurant history - all are there, and all are delicious. Reading is encouraged…but listen first!

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob sit back, put on some tunes, and chillax while talking about said tunes.  Music is kind of a big deal.  It goes back (we think) to days long before recorded history, and based on the enormous industry it is today, it's not going anywhere.  And no wonder, given that it can transport you to another culture, evoke a memory, or just make you want to dance, dance, dance.  On the edible side, some very famous musicians have sung some ... less famous songs...about all kinds of food.  You can even make musical instruments from food!  And apparently people pay money to figure out the best music to play while eating.  We love to listen to music, and we love to eat, and we really love to do both at the same time.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob reminisce about college.  Well, Jay reminisces, and Jacob projects two weeks forward when he can reminisce, too - at least for undergrad.  Things have changed a bit since Jay’s days of standing in line in the coliseum to register for classes, writing Fortran code in the computer lab, and actually typing papers on a typewriter - not a laptop.  Apparently the current situation for chemical engineering students requires a potent laptop.  Who’d a thunk?  As for college food, the variety available for on-campus dining may have improved, but it’s still hit or miss.  At home, though, the creativity soars.  Tresadillas?  Orange chicken ramen burritos?  Plastic wrap-enhanced baked beans and party tricks with raw eggs?  Some things are only attempted during the college years, and maybe that’s a good idea.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob talk eggs, bunnies, and exploding carts.  That’s right, it’s the Easter episode.  Of course, they definitely know the heart of Easter: that would be Jesus.  But the random facts out there about how the holiday began, why we hide eggs, and the history of the Reese’s holiday shapes are mind-boggling.  You’ll be amazed at the number of Cadbury Eggs created daily.  You’ll be astounded at the lesser-known traditions of Florence (Italy, not Alabama).  You’ll discover the reason for the ham versus lamb debate.  Jay makes a case for the Brach’s Marshmallow Eggs to be the best Easter candy ever and recalls the Easter morning long ago when his cat almost ended the holiday for everyone.  Grab a pack o’Peeps and listen.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob hunker down in the V&V studio to talk about…hunkering down.  Anyone else feel like they are living in a movie right now?  Quarantining?  Social distancing?  We’re all going to have a new vocabulary when this crisis passes.  In the meantime, what are some fun ways to pass the time?  What does one eat in quarantine?  Though this is a unique time, Jay has hunkered down before.  (Jacob, too - he just doesn’t remember them as well.)  Stories include: snow days (including the Blizzard of ’93) and what to do with all that bread and milk.  How we rolled when living in the Middle East during the Iraq War.  Fun uses for a bidet, which we all may need when the toilet paper truly runs out.  Listen for our favorite speck recipe - in fact, listen to all the episodes!  You’ve got time.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob take on one of the lesser-known holidays.  Well, lesser-known if you don’t come from a math family like they do.  March 14 (or to put it another way, 3.14) is Pi Day, when mathematicians celebrate the mysterious, transcendental, and often (or always) irrational ratio known as Pi.  They talk about where and when Pi Day started, how it’s celebrated, and share a little about why Pi is vital to everyday life.  And of course, it would be silly to celebrate Pi Day with cake, even if it is Albert Einstein’s birthday.  So there is much ado about pie (the food), including some history, a few fun facts, and lots of memories -  because pie is comfort food, and that’s where memories are born.  Pull up a piece of pie and a calculator and listen to this one 3.14 times.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob get trendy.  That’s a stretch for Jay - he’s not usually up on trends.  Fashion?  Optional.  Hairdo?  No hair, don’t care.  Food trends, however, make life interesting, and health trends…well, he’s in the biz, after all.  Jacob on the other hand, knows all the things.  With hipster tendencies and all the coffee gadgets, he’s a virtual expert.  Listen as they discuss everything from Pelotons to Nap Bars, star fruit to cold brew.  La Croix is one of the most well known seltzer waters, but is it the best?  You, too, can be in the know before 2020’s health and food trends are so last year.

This is the episode where Jay and Jacob talk all things pink and chocolate.  Not necessarily the same things, but on Valentine’s Day, the odds are good.  The history of this day of love may not be what you think.  Yeah, you’ve heard of St. Valentine, but how did things go for him in the end?  Not too good.  Yet somehow, it’s a happy holiday for most, unless you’re an ethically frozen cockroach in a meerkat exhibit.  Lots of couples are hand-in-hand on this day, and few holidays are as connected to vittles - either chalky or chocolatey - as this one.  Valentine’s Day may have begun in persecution and martyrdom, but it ends with Reese’s hearts and steak dinners, and that’s the way we like it.