pod.link/918896288
pod.link copied!
Gastropod
Gastropod
Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley

Food with a side of science and history. Every other week, co-hosts Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley serve up a brand new... more

Listen now on

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Overcast
Podcast Addict
Pocket Casts
Castbox
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio
Player FM
Podcast Republic
Castro
RadioPublic
RSS

Episodes

Eat This, Not That: The Surprising Science of Personalized Nutrition (encore)

This episode, we've got the exclusive on the preliminary results of the world's largest personalized nutrition experiment. Genetic epidemiologist Tim... more

26 Mar 2024 · 56 minutes
Bam! How Did Cajun Flavor Take Over the World?

If "Cajun-style" only makes you think of spicy chicken sandwiches and popcorn shrimp, you need to join us in the... more

19 Mar 2024 · 49 minutes
Anything's Pastable (Guest Episode)

After Dan’s pasta shape, cascatelli, was launched, people everywhere were cooking with it and sending him photos of what they... more

12 Mar 2024 · 47 minutes
Can You Patent a Pizza?

Close your eyes and imagine this: a world without stuffed crust pizza. We know!—but that was the dismal state of... more

05 Mar 2024 · 50 minutes
Super Fry: The Fight for the Golden Frite (encore)

Shoestring, waffle, curly, or thick-cut: however you slice it, nearly everyone loves a deep-fried, golden brown piece of potato. But... more

27 Feb 2024 · 43 minutes
Dining at the (Other) Top of the World: Hunger, Fruitcake, and the Race to Reach the South Pole

In contrast to the abundance of the Arctic, in Antarctica, "once you leave the coast, you're basically heading to the... more

20 Feb 2024 · 43 minutes
Dining at the Top of the World: Arctic Adaptation, Abundance, and...Ice Cream

You may feel like it's cold where you live, but in the Arctic, the average temperature is well below freezing... more

06 Feb 2024 · 52 minutes
Cork Dork: Inside the Weird World of Wine Appreciation (encore)

“There’s the faintest soupçon of asparagus and just a flutter of Edam cheese,” says Paul Giamatti in the movie Sideways. Believe... more

23 Jan 2024 · 45 minutes
It's Tea Time: Pirates, Polyphenols, and a Proper Cuppa (encore)

This week, Gastropod tells the story of two countries and their shared obsession with a plant: Camellia sinensis, otherwise known as... more

09 Jan 2024 · 45 minutes
The Case of the Confusing Bitter Beverages: Vermouth, Amaro, Aperitivos, and Other Botanical Schnapps

When it comes to booze, it’s fun to be bitter: an Aperol spritz has been the drink of summer for... more

19 Dec 2023 · 51 minutes
Rice, Rice Baby

Though rice might not feature in a hit 1990s Vanilla Ice rap, this grain tops the charts in other ways:... more

05 Dec 2023 · 51 minutes
Ask Gastropod: White Chocolate, Jimmies, Chile vs. Mustard Burns, and Asparagus Pee

Is white chocolate really chocolate? What causes asparagus pee? Sprinkles or jimmies—which do you call them, and is the term... more

21 Nov 2023 · 45 minutes
Pumpkin Spice Hero: The Thrilling But Tragic True Story of Nutmeg

No pumpkin spice latte, cookie, candle, or seasonal can of Spam (yes, really) would be the same without one of... more

07 Nov 2023 · 41 minutes
Beans, Beans, the Magical Fruit

Botanically, bean pods are indeed fruits, and, honestly, they are also pretty magical. And we’re clearly not the only ones... more

24 Oct 2023 · 49 minutes
Raised and Glazed: Don’t Doubt the Doughnut

Doughnuts are ubiquitous in the United States: whether you're at party, a coffee shop, or the break room at work,... more

10 Oct 2023 · 48 minutes
We'd Like to Teach The World to Slurp: The Weird and Wonderful Story of Ramen's Rise to Glory

Savory, chewy, and, above all, slurp-able, a delicious bowl of ramen is one of the triumphs of Japanese cuisine. That's... more

26 Sep 2023 · 48 minutes
First Foods: Learning to Eat (encore)

How do we learn to eat? It may seem like an obvious question, but it's actually quite a complicated process. Who decided... more

19 Sep 2023 · 50 minutes
All Aboard the Tuna Rollercoaster! Join the King of Fish for a Wild Ride that Involves Ernest Hemingway and (of course) Jane Fonda

A bluefin tuna can grow to the size of a car, weigh twice as much as a grand piano, swim... more

05 Sep 2023 · 45 minutes
The Keto Paradox: Fad Diet *and* Life-Saving Medical Treatment

What do some epilepsy patients have in common with tech bros, bodybuilders, and Joe Rogan? The high-fat, carb-shunning diet known... more

22 Aug 2023 · 43 minutes
Secrets of Sourdough (encore)

Today, you can find a huge variety of breads on supermarket shelves, only a few of which are called "sourdough."... more

08 Aug 2023 · 48 minutes
Watch It Wiggle: The Jell-O Story (encore)

It's been described as the ultimate status symbol for the wealthy, as the perfect solution for dieters and the sick,... more

25 Jul 2023 · 49 minutes
Where's the Beef? Lab-Grown Meat is Finally on the Menu

Can we really have our burger, eat it—and never need to kill a cow? Growing meat outside of animals—in a... more

11 Jul 2023 · 54 minutes
The Incredible Egg (encore)

We love eggs scrambled, fried, or poached; we couldn't enjoy a quiche, meringue, or flan without them. But for scientists... more

27 Jun 2023 · 44 minutes
Good Shit: How Humanure Could Save Agriculture—and the Planet

For most of us, when we sit on the porcelain throne to drop the deuce, priority number one is flushing... more

20 Jun 2023 · 51 minutes
Gettin' Fizzy With It (Encore)

'Tis the season for a refreshing glass of bubbly—but this episode we're not talking wine, we're talking seltzer. America is... more

13 Jun 2023 · 40 minutes
Who's Eating Who: Pineapples and You

What was the hottest accessory for late 1600s European dining rooms? The pineapple! Explorers had recently brought this spiky tropical... more

06 Jun 2023 · 39 minutes
You've Lost That Hungry Feeling

Whether it's via TikTok or the morning news, you’ve probably heard the recent hype (and hand-wringing) about new prescription weight-loss... more

23 May 2023 · 55 minutes
Fish & Chips: Uncovering the Forgotten Jewish and Belgian Origins of the Iconic British Dish

Fish & chips: a golden hunk of battered cod, accompanied by thick-cut French fries, lightly sprinkled with malt vinegar, and... more

09 May 2023 · 44 minutes
What Connects Bones, Bird Poop, and Toxic Green Slime? Hint: Without It, Half of Us Wouldn't Be Alive Today

It’s the 13th element on the periodic table, it glows in the dark, and it spontaneously combusts if it gets... more

25 Apr 2023 · 46 minutes
All the Feels: How Texture Makes Taste

The squish of bananas, the squeak of mushrooms, the pop of a grape: for some people, these textures are a... more

11 Apr 2023 · 52 minutes
The Fruit that Could Save the World

Can bread really grow on trees? This episode, meet the all-star, super productive, low-maintenance, gluten-free carbohydrate of the future. Did... more

28 Mar 2023 · 38 minutes
Meet Taro, the Poke Bowl's Missing Secret Ingredient

When Polynesians first arrived in Hawai'i some 1,500 years ago, they found islands that were lush, beautiful...and nearly devoid of... more

14 Mar 2023 · 42 minutes
Always Coca-Cola: Coca, Kola, and the *Real* Secret Formula

Coca-Cola's red and white logo is so iconic that supposedly nine out of every ten people on Earth know it... more

28 Feb 2023 · 48 minutes
Here Comes Truffle

This episode, join us on a hunt for buried treasure at a super-secret location in North Carolina. We follow a... more

14 Feb 2023 · 51 minutes
Museums and the Mafia: The Secret History of Citrus (encore)

A slice of lime in your cocktail, a lunchbox clementine, or a glass of OJ at breakfast: citrus is so... more

31 Jan 2023 · 42 minutes
The End of the Calorie (encore)

For most of us, the calorie is just a number on the back of the packet or on the display... more

17 Jan 2023 · 48 minutes
Champagne Wishes: The Tastes of Celebration

We pop it at weddings and pour it for the holidays, gift it to congratulate and sip it to celebrate—but,... more

20 Dec 2022 · 50 minutes
Caviar Dreams: The Tastes of Celebration

Yachts, private jets, caviar, champagne—all standard ingredients in the lifestyles of the rich and famous. But, every so often, at... more

06 Dec 2022 · 47 minutes
What Is Native American Cuisine? (Encore)

Pasta, sushi, tacos, samosas, and pad thai: In the U.S., enthusiastic eaters will likely be able to name traditional dishes... more

22 Nov 2022 · 46 minutes
That Old Chestnut: A Nutty Tale, of Love, Loss, and Reconnection

Just a little over a hundred years ago, eastern forests were studded with what was called "America's perfect tree": 100-foot... more

08 Nov 2022 · 51 minutes
Prescription Dinner: Can Meals Be Medicine?

We've all heard that what you eat affects your health—but doctors prescribing dinner? It's real: Medically tailored meals are specifically... more

25 Oct 2022 · 45 minutes
Trouble in Paradise: Coconut War Waters and Coconut Oil Controversies

Whether enrobed with chocolate in a candy bar or sucked up through a straw on the beach, coconut has become... more

11 Oct 2022 · 47 minutes
Does the Western Megadrought Mean the End of Cheap Cheese and Ice Cream?

Imagine a summer's day without the jingle of the ice-cream truck, a pizza without its bubbling layer of melted cheesy... more

27 Sep 2022 · 51 minutes
Lunch Gets Schooled (encore)

Across the United States, school lunch is being transformed, as counties and cities partner with local farms to access fresh... more

21 Sep 2022 · 53 minutes
What Do Aliens Eat? Food in Sci-Fi and Fantasy

Whether you’re an adorable, candy-loving alien, a lost hobbit, a Federation starship captain, or the King in the North, you... more

13 Sep 2022 · 46 minutes
Guest Episode: The Umami Mama by Unexplainable

Gastropod is excited to present this guest episode of Unexplainable. For thousands of years, there have been four basic tastes... more

30 Aug 2022 · 41 minutes
Gut Feeling

Do you get butterflies in your stomach when you’re excited? Feel nauseated when you’re nervous? Get a knot in your... more

16 Aug 2022 · 51 minutes
Green Gold: Our Love Affair With Olive Oil (encore)

Olive oil is not what you think it is. According to Tom Mueller, author of Extra Virginity: The Sublime and... more

02 Aug 2022 · 52 minutes
How Ketchup Got Thick

Ketchup is the crowd-pleaser of condiments—a ubiquitous accessory on dinner tables throughout the United States, and, increasingly, the world. But... more

20 Jul 2022 · 46 minutes
Delivery Wars

Big tech is changing every aspect of our world. But how? And at what cost? Gastropod is excited to share... more

05 Jul 2022 · 38 minutes
The Milk of Life

No matter what your diet’s like today, we all likely started life eating the same thing: breast milk, formula milk,... more

21 Jun 2022 · 53 minutes
Poultry Power: The Fried Chicken Chronicles (encore)

Juicy, crispy, crunchy...fried chicken is undoubtedly delicious. But it's also complicated, in ways that go far deeper than the science... more

07 Jun 2022 · 48 minutes
Guest episode: Montréal by Not Lost

Gastropod is excited to present this guest episode of Not Lost, called Montréal: Voyage Voyage. When both his popular culture... more

31 May 2022 · 52 minutes
Reinventing the Eel

Aristotle thought they were born out of mud. A young Sigmund Freud dedicated himself to finding their testicles (spoiler alert,... more

16 May 2022 · 48 minutes
Monsanto or MonSatan? How—and Why—a St. Louis Startup Became a Hated Herbicide Giant

A chemical that kills the plants you don’t want—weeds—and keeps the plants you do—food!—seems kind of like magic. After all,... more

03 May 2022 · 52 minutes
The Way the Cookie Crumbles

If you’ve baked up a batch of chocolate chip cookies, enjoyed a nice cup of tea and biscuits, or somehow... more

19 Apr 2022 · 53 minutes
Black Gold: The Future of Food...We Throw Away

For a few weeks in 1987, trash was temporarily headline news: a barge filled with waste that would no longer... more

05 Apr 2022 · 52 minutes
Gum's the Word: A Sticky Story

It’s sticky, it’s breath-freshening, and, according to the FDA, it’s technically food—this episode, we’re chewing on the science and history... more

22 Mar 2022 · 51 minutes
Déjà-Brew: How Coffee Got Bad, Then Worse, and, Finally, Good Again

If you hopped in a time machine for a cup of coffee from a 17th-century London coffeehouse, you would probably... more

08 Mar 2022 · 55 minutes
Grounds for Revolution: the Stimulating Story of How Coffee Shaped the World

About 400 years ago, a dark and mysterious stranger arrived in Europe and sent the jitters—really, shock waves—through society. That... more

22 Feb 2022 · 49 minutes
The Fortune Cookie Quest

No dish of General Tso's, chow mein, or beef and broccoli is complete without a fortune cookie at the end.... more

08 Feb 2022 · 42 minutes
Guest Episode: Graveyard Cookies and Dollhouse Crimes

Gastropod is excited to present this guest episode—actually, two episodes—from the podcast Atlas Oscura: one all about the Spritz Cookie... more

25 Jan 2022 · 34 minutes
Mango Mania: How the American Mango Lost its Flavor—and How it Might Just Get it Back (encore)

Mangoes inspire passion, particularly in India, which is home to hundreds of varieties of the fruit. They are celebrated in... more

18 Jan 2022 · 41 minutes
Guest Episode: Scents and Sensibility

Gastropod is excited to present this guest episode of Outside/In called Scents and Sensibility. Once upon a time, potpourri was... more

11 Jan 2022 · 44 minutes
Your Mystery Date

Allow us to indulge our inner aunties: We’ve set you up on a really hot date this episode—with one of... more

21 Dec 2021 · 50 minutes
The Most Interesting Oil in the World

Here’s a little riddle for you: What’s all around you, but can’t be seen, smelled, or tasted? Hint: It’s in... more

07 Dec 2021 · 50 minutes
Are Plant- and Fungus-Based Meats Really Better than the Real Thing?

Move over, beef: there’s a new burger in town. Plant-based meats are sizzling hot right now; in 2020 alone, the... more

24 Nov 2021 · 55 minutes
Guest Episode: The Doorbell by Nice Try!

This week we're bringing you an episode from Nice Try! Nice Try’s second season, Interior, is all about the lifestyle... more

17 Nov 2021 · 46 minutes
Balls *and* Brains: The Science and History of Offal

It’s pretty rare to find organ meat on the dinner table in most American households today, but 90 years ago,... more

09 Nov 2021 · 51 minutes
Trick or Treat: Soul Cakes, Candy Corn, and Sugar Skulls Galore!

If you live in the U.S., chances are, your first hint of fall isn’t a russet-colored leaf landing on the... more

26 Oct 2021 · 51 minutes
Buried Treasure: Weeds, Seeds, and Zombies

If you’ve ever engaged in mortal combat with a patch of ragweed, dandelion, or crabgrass in your garden, you might... more

11 Oct 2021 · 49 minutes
The Barrel That Could Save A Forest

Bourbon has to be aged in barrels, by law; whiskey usually spends years in barrels, by custom; and between 20-30... more

28 Sep 2021 · 51 minutes
Tofu for You: Meet the Cult Leader, the Spy, and the Pioneering Woman Chinese Doctor Who Brought Tofu to the West

For a lot of Americans, tofu conjures up images of bland, squishy cubes: a sorry alternative to meat. Even in... more

14 Sep 2021 · 51 minutes
The Great Gastropod Pudding Off (encore)

Four bakers, one evening, and one challenge: Who can steam the best spotted dick? On this week’s action-packed episode, Tom... more

30 Aug 2021 · 57 minutes
It's All Going to Pot: the Science and Economics of Edibles

If you thought it was high time for us to get into the weeds with cannabis science and economics, then... more

17 Aug 2021 · 1 hour, 1 minute
Baked: How Pot Brownies and Pate de Fruits Fueled an Edible Cannabis Revolution

Edible cannabis products are hot right now: Snoop's got some, Willie Nelson's got some—even Martha Stewart's making fancy French-style gummies.... more

03 Aug 2021 · 56 minutes
The Bottle vs. Tap Battle Finale: Alkaline H2O, Lead Pipes, and, Yes, Water Sommeliers

As promised, it's time for the final splashdown in the battle of bottled vs. tap water. When we left off... more

20 Jul 2021 · 49 minutes
Bottled Vs. Tap: The Battle to Quench Our Thirst

Today, bottled water is ubiquitous and cheap: every single second of every single day, more than a thousand people buy... more

06 Jul 2021 · 47 minutes
Chocpocalypse Now! Quarantine and the Future of Food

We’ve dropped hints and left clues—and now, at long last, Gastropod’s very own Nicola Twilley has published her first book!... more

22 Jun 2021 · 53 minutes
Guest Episode: Immune Boosting, Is It a Bust? | Science Vs

Internet influencers have been pushing “immune boosters” during the pandemic — claiming they’ve got just the pill, berry, or brew... more

08 Jun 2021 · 36 minutes
Gastropod
Baked: How Pot Brownies and Pate de Fruits Fueled an Edible Cannabis Revolution
Gastropod
0:00
-0:00

Listen now on

Apple Podcasts
Spotify
Google Podcasts
Overcast
Podcast Addict
Pocket Casts
Castbox
Stitcher
Podbean
iHeartRadio
Player FM
Podcast Republic
Castro
RadioPublic
RSS

Description

Edible cannabis products are hot right now: Snoop's got some, Willie Nelson's got some—even Martha Stewart's making fancy French-style gummies. In states... more