Food Science Special: Million-Layer Puff Pastry, Perfect Potatoes, and More!

Adam Gopnik takes us on a tour of great food writing from the New Yorker in celebration of the magazine's centennial. We hear A.J. Liebling’s tip for finding a good restaurant in Paris, M.F.K. Fisher’s fantasy about potato chips and Calvin Trillin’s obsession over constructing the perfect bagel. Plus, Matt Goulding shares why paella is a hotbed of controversy; we explain why a cold oven is the secret to the best creme brûlée; and Christopher Kimball and Sara Moulton answer your questions and share their favorite things to do with tomatoes.Get this week’s recipe for Cold-Oven Crème Brûlee here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Forget the bedroom: the kitchen is where relationships are made and broken. Journalist Ella Quittner reveals the many ways the kitchen causes problems in our love lives, and what psychologists say we can do about it. Plus, listeners call in with their own culinary feuds; writer Crystal Wilkinson recalls the kitchen ghosts and family recipes of her Appalachian childhood; and we make Pakistani-style Potato Stuffed Naan at home. (Originally aired June 13, 2024.)Get this week’s recipe for Potato-Stuffed Naan here.Artwork credit: Millie von PlatenListen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We’re covering everything you've ever wanted to know about grilling and barbecue. First up, a road trip with Daniel Vaughn, barbecue editor at Texas Monthly. We taste whole-hog barbecue in Greenville, coffee-rubbed brisket in Nacogdoches and cow-eye tacos in Brownsville. Then, Meathead joins Chris on the phone lines for your toughest cookout questions; Kenji López-Alt makes the case for his favorite backyard dinner; and Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way With Words” cool us down with summertime treats.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Fire up the grill: This week, we’re covering all of your July Fourth favorites. We unravel the history of the hot dog with author Bruce Kraig and hear from Hot Dog Ambassador John Champlin about one unforgettable frankfurter. Plus, Ken Zuckerman of the National Mustard Museum touts mustard as the ultimate condiment; J. Kenji López-Alt takes grilled corn to the next level; and Rose Hattabaugh shares new ideas for an old favorite: flag cake. (Originally aired June 25, 2024.)Get this week's recipe for 1-2-3 Frosting here.Song credit: It’s All Right Baby - Assaf Ayalon, courtesy of Artlist.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

This week, we travel to Mexico. Rick Martínez shares the salsa that changed his life; Aarón Sánchez answers your Mexican cooking questions; we uncover the secret history of avocados; and we take a food tour of Mexico City. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Author Anne Byrn scoured the South, uncovering the stories behind the region’s best bakes. She found lane cakes in Georgia, chess pies in North Carolina and a shocking twist on chocolate cake in Arkansas. Plus, Kim Severson offers a timely report on the MAHA organic food movement; we whip up an Almond and Rum Tres Leches Cake; and Cheryl Day returns to take your baking questions.Get the recipe for Almond and Rum Tres Leches Cake here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We chat with Dr. Jessica B. Harris about her seminal book "High on the Hog,'' which offers a diverse and complex history of African American cuisine—from the escape of George Washington’s enslaved master chef to the birth of the catering industry. Plus, we investigate Korean television’s obsession with Subway sandwiches, learn about the origins of egg-based idioms from Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette, and share the secret to making Turkish kebabs on your backyard grill.Get the recipe for Turkish Minced Meat Kebabs here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In this special episode, we share a few of our favorite moments about getting experimental in the kitchen. Kenji López-Alt shares the perfect way to make potatoes; Alex Aïnouz attempts to create a 1 million-layer puff pastry; and we chat with flavor chemist Dr. Arielle Johnson about how to eat a tree.

This week, we share a story of revenge, betrayal and secrets … at a frozen vegetable empire. John Seabrook investigates why running “the biggest vegetable factory on Earth” led to generations of drama in his family, like a real-life version of the TV show “Succession.” Plus, Brendan Liew gives us a tour of Japan’s incredible convenience stores; Kenji López-Alt finds the best way to crack an egg; and we learn how to make Sri Lankan Spinach and Coconut Dal with Tomato Tarka.Get the recipe for Sri Lankan Spinach and Coconut Dal with Tomato Tarka here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In 2008, Roy Choi was fired from his big restaurant job and ready to give up—then he started his food truck, Kogi. He joins us today to discuss the making of his now-legendary food truck, how he taught Jon Favreau to look like a cook for his 2014 film “Chef,” and why there's poetry in lowriding around LA. Plus, we hunt for clams, eels and anchovies with sea forager Kirk Lombard, and Chris and Sara Moulton take your calls—what constitutes the middle rack of the oven, how to make the perfect toum, and much more. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify