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Proof
Proof
America's Test Kitchen

We take America's Test Kitchen's inquisitive and relentless approach to telling unexpected, funny, and thought-provoking narratives about food and drink. This is... more

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Episodes

There's a Snake in My Food!

Every March, Sweetwater, Texas celebrates its title as the ‘Rattlesnake Capital of the World’. Dozens of teams compete to cook... more

05 Dec 2024 · 43 minutes
How to Save a Hive

Melipona bees are under threat; not just from deforestation, pesticides, or habitat loss, but also from the dwindling number of... more

21 Nov 2024 · 34 minutes
The (Iron) White Claw

We investigate White Claw's rapid ascendance and its prowess as a gay icon.

14 Nov 2024 · 33 minutes
The Rise of the Modern Asian Pastry

How did a Cold War-era American food aid program help ignite the rise of the modern Asian pastry and milkbread?... more

07 Nov 2024 · 31 minutes
What Does Space Taste Like?

What does it mean to impart the "taste of space" into our ice creams, juices, cheeses and even fruit? Reporter... more

31 Oct 2024 · 34 minutes
The (Tea) Room Where It Happened

Discover the lost history behind one of the original "third places" of New York City, a women-only tea room run... more

24 Oct 2024 · 38 minutes
In Love with the Shape of Food

We explore the psychology and science behind how our food is shaped as we kick off a new season of... more

17 Oct 2024 · 34 minutes
Back to our bread-and-butter episodes next week on a new season of Proof!

What's the story story behind those square watermelons? What does rattlesnake taste like? And how do you create the taste... more

10 Oct 2024 · 1 minute
ATK at 25: Reverse-Engineering the Boxed Brownie (Episode 4)

This week on the podcast: The fourth and final episode of our miniseries where we follow one test cook's dogged... more

03 Oct 2024 · 17 minutes
ATK at 25: Why You Need a Wok (Episode 3)

This week on the podcast: We investigate why what kitchen equipment you use can be just as important as the... more

26 Sep 2024 · 19 minutes
ATK at 25: How Many Eggs in the Perfect Scramble? (Episode 2)

This week on the podcast: A dish so simple, it needed science to perfect.

19 Sep 2024 · 18 minutes
ATK at 25: A Recipe Made from a Mistake (Episode 1)

This week on the podcast: The backstory behind a recipe that gives new meaning to a motto we at America's... more

12 Sep 2024 · 18 minutes
Introducing ATK at 25: Stories Behind the Iconic Recipes

For the next couple of weeks on our podcast, Proof from America’s Test Kitchen, we’ll bring you the back stories... more

05 Sep 2024 · 3 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: What is the Future of Barbecue? (Episode 4)

In this week's episode of our Barbecue Trailblazers series, we learn how Kelli Nevarez went from first-grade music teacher to... more

22 Aug 2024 · 27 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Hogroast Heads North (Episode 3)

In this week's episode of our Barbecue Trailblazers series, Cook's Country grilling expert Morgan Bolling brings the Southern tradition of... more

15 Aug 2024 · 22 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Woman Who Gave Us Fajitas (Episode 2)

Get to know Mama Ninfa, an icon to the city of Houston who helped introduce a Tex-Mex classic to the... more

08 Aug 2024 · 22 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Queen of Smoke (Episode 1)

In the first episode of our miniseries, we pay a barbecue legend a visit in Brownsville, Tennessee to talk about... more

01 Aug 2024 · 26 minutes
Introducing When Southern Women Cook: Our Miniseries on Barbecue Trailblazers

In our next miniseries on Proof, hosted by Cook's Country magazine's Toni Tipton-Martin and Morgan Bolling, we profile four women... more

25 Jul 2024 · 2 minutes
100 Proof: From 100 to Zero Proof (Episode 6)

In the final episode of the 100 Proof Series: We meet more modern cocktail revivalists who are breaking new ground... more

11 Jul 2024 · 27 minutes
100 Proof: The Dark Ages (Episode 5)

How TGI Fridays, Madonna, and the Cosmopolitan helped define this era of the American cocktail.

03 Jul 2024 · 30 minutes
100 Proof: Prohibition (Episode 4)

Was Prohibition really the Gilded Age utopia that it's made out to be? In this episode: Cocktail innovation happening in... more

27 Jun 2024 · 26 minutes
100 Proof: The Golden Age of Cocktails (Episode 3)

How did the Industrial Revolution, immigration--and maybe Winston Churchill's mother--give rise to the Golden Age of cocktails in America? We... more

20 Jun 2024 · 30 minutes
Buy Me Some Biryani and Cracker Jack

How did biryani become the go-to dish of cricket matches? Journalist Kunwar Khuldune Shahid reports as the Cricket World Cup... more

06 Jun 2024 · 27 minutes
100 Proof: The Dawn of the American Cocktail (Episode 2)

Where does the word "cocktail" come from? Who invented it? We explore these questions and the backstories of two drinks... more

30 May 2024 · 36 minutes
100 Proof: It Wasn't Always Like This (Episode 1)

In the inaugural episode of our first-ever miniseries, we explore how we got to our modern cocktail renaissance. Why were... more

23 May 2024 · 34 minutes
Introducing 100 Proof: Our Miniseries on the American Cocktail

Welcome to Proof's first-ever miniseries: 100 Proof: The Journey of the American Cocktail. Over six episodes, we’ll look at the... more

13 May 2024 · 3 minutes
The Unavoidable Ingredient

Can saliva change the way our food tastes? Does it affect our cooking? Reporter Jacklyn Kim digs into the unexpected... more

02 May 2024 · 36 minutes
A (Wooly) Mammoth of A Meal

In 1951, the Explorers Club in New York had a 250,000-year-old woolly mammoth on their menu at their annual banquet.... more

25 Apr 2024 · 34 minutes
The River That Feeds Us

Journalist Camilo Garzón embarks on a quest along the Magdalena River to experience a Colombian tradition that's making a comeback... more

18 Apr 2024 · 38 minutes
Boycotting Your Favorite Food

What happens when you have to boycott your favorite dish? Our reporter travels to her home in North east India... more

11 Apr 2024 · 33 minutes
It’s All Greek Salad to Me

We kick off a new season of Proof with a look at the origin and evolution of Horiatiki, or the... more

04 Apr 2024 · 42 minutes
Conan O'Brien on Your Mama’s Kitchen Podcast

Before we return next week with new episodes of Proof, we're sharing an episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen, where host... more

27 Mar 2024 · 41 minutes
From The Sporkful: ANYTHING'S PASTABLE

This week, we're bringing you the first episode from a new, four-part series from our friends at The Sporkful.

21 Mar 2024 · 45 minutes
Award Winners: Should I Get My Lobster High?

We wrap up awards season with our Signal Award-Winning episode that asks: Will hot-boxing a lobster before it's cooked alleviate... more

14 Mar 2024 · 37 minutes
Award Winners: Sakura and the Wild Boars

Author Hannah Kirshner takes us along for a ride with Sakura Yoshida, a trained wild boar hunter and recounts the... more

07 Mar 2024 · 52 minutes
Award Winners: Navigating Blindness at the Supermarket

Reporter Jason Strother shows us what it’s like to navigate the supermarket while visually impaired. Listen to our Signal award-winning... more

29 Feb 2024 · 45 minutes
Award Winners: The Drink that Wouldn't Die

Chartreuse is a centuries-old elixir crafted by Carthusian monks, and is increasingly in short supply. Learn about the spiritual significance... more

22 Feb 2024 · 38 minutes
Award Winners: Raiders of the Lost Yeast

The plan: To extract dormant yeast from the nooks and crannies of ancient Egyptian pots stored in the vaults of... more

15 Feb 2024 · 49 minutes
Award Winners: You're a Good Man, Brady Keys

In the 1960s, Brady Keys’ All-Pro Chicken was hailed as the gold standard of Black capitalism. Pulitzer-Prize winning author Dr.... more

08 Feb 2024 · 42 minutes
Award Winners: The Case of the Disappearing Franchise

Pulitzer-prize winning historian and fast food detective Dr. Marcia Chatelain explores the cases of three American franchises that disappeared from... more

01 Feb 2024 · 39 minutes
Award Winners: World's Greatest Italian Beef

We replay an episode that gets to the meat of the matter on how family can be the secret ingredient... more

25 Jan 2024 · 52 minutes
Cheesesteaks Go to Pakistan

Discover how the Philly Cheesesteak has travelled from America to the streets of Lahore, Pakistan.

11 Jan 2024 · 37 minutes
Behind Boba Tea's Big Boom

We're spilling the tea on the origins of boba, or bubble tea. Cookbook author Clarissa Wei reports.

14 Dec 2023 · 31 minutes
The Lost Crops of Sapelo Island

Every year, storms, salt water, and construction threaten the Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, Georgia. But Sapelo resident Maurice... more

07 Dec 2023 · 39 minutes
How Almond Boneless Chicken Took Over Detroit

Author Curtis Chin investigates whether or not his grandmother's claim of having invented the dish, is true.

30 Nov 2023 · 29 minutes
Chasing the Freshest Beer

How far would you go to ensure the hops in your fresh hop IPAs are as fresh as humanly possible?... more

16 Nov 2023 · 35 minutes
World's First Italian Coffee Bean

Despite its rich coffee and cafe culture, Italy does not produce its own coffee beans. One man is trying to... more

09 Nov 2023 · 35 minutes
Proof returns November 9!

Why aren't Italians drinking Italian coffee? What's the story behind ABC--a.k.a. almond boneless chicken? How did Philly Cheesesteaks become a... more

02 Nov 2023 · 1 minute
Best of Proof: My Father, the YouTube Star

In the last 'Best of Proof' episode of the year, we bring you a story from 2021 that gives new... more

26 Oct 2023 · 35 minutes
Best of Proof: Prepping for the Worst

Preparing for doomsday might not be as crazy as we think. This week, we bring you an episode from 2019... more

19 Oct 2023 · 37 minutes
Best of Proof: How Far Would You Travel for An Apple?

It’s apple-picking season, and one man, Tom Brown, is on a mission to find an elusive variety called the Junaluska... more

12 Oct 2023 · 37 minutes
Best of Proof: Nixtamalization and Indigenous Science

What is nixtamalization, and why is it so important when preparing corn-based dishes like tortillas and pupusas? Navajo reporter Andi... more

05 Oct 2023 · 37 minutes
Best of Proof: Fair Foods

This week, we’re starting autumn off right with one of our all-time favorite episodes: Fair Foods. Chris Siege reports.

28 Sep 2023 · 26 minutes
Saving the Craft of Soy Sauce

For hundreds of years, Japanese soy sauce was made in wooden barrels, but now, most are made in steel tanks.... more

21 Sep 2023 · 49 minutes
Finding Beer Where It's Banned

In Pakistan, alcohol is banned for Muslims, who make up around 97% of the population. But, people drink, and there’s... more

14 Sep 2023 · 40 minutes
Proof Presents: Snacks!

The Proof team presents five bite-size stories on snacks and snacking.

07 Sep 2023 · 51 minutes
How to Make the Worst Pies in London

Proof contributor Eliza Rothstein heads to Broadway to get a behind-the-scenes look at how the pies from Sweeney Todd are... more

31 Aug 2023 · 53 minutes
America's First Butter Sculptor

The Butter Cow draws enormous crowds every year at the Iowa State Fair. But who came up with the... more

24 Aug 2023 · 51 minutes
Seeking Soviet Korean Cooking

Reporter Sarah Baik explores the history of Koryo Saram cuisine (Korean Soviet cuisine) and learns about the importance of morkovcha--a... more

17 Aug 2023 · 49 minutes
Chicken Tender Capital, USA

Former Comedian Nick Lavallee is on a mission to make Manchester, New Hampshire the chicken tender capital of the world.... more

10 Aug 2023 · 46 minutes
How to Make A Battle-Ready Pizza

How did the U.S. military create a pizza that warfighters could eat on the battlefield? The Proof team follows the... more

03 Aug 2023 · 37 minutes
Season 14 Kicks off August 3!

How does beer thrive in a country that bans it? Who's behind the worst pies in London? What does a... more

13 Jul 2023 · 1 minute
What Is Fusion Food?

For the Season 13 closer, we bring you two stories on the theme of fusion food. We look at a... more

01 Jun 2023 · 52 minutes
Revolution at the Cookie Factory

In 2017, an iconic brand of Argentina's de facto national dessert, the alfajor, was on the brink of disappearing. ... more

25 May 2023 · 37 minutes
What’s On the Menu in 1906?

What did dining out look like in 1906? In his search through the New York Public Library’s “What’s on the... more

18 May 2023 · 41 minutes
The Road to Good Sake

Fumiaki Matsuura had just started his job as the toji, or brew master of his family's sake brewery in Ishikawa,... more

11 May 2023 · 36 minutes
The Apple Pie that Made Me

ESPN's Baxter Holmes was always told: If it weren't for his family's apple pie, he wouldn't be here. The adage... more

04 May 2023 · 30 minutes
Taiwan’s Unlikely Beef Noodle Soup

Beef noodle soup is Taiwan's national dish, but its existence is surprising, given that eating beef was taboo on the... more

27 Apr 2023 · 34 minutes
Navigating Blindness in the Supermarket

What if you knew you were quickly losing your sight? That’s something reporter Jason Strother has thought a lot about.... more

20 Apr 2023 · 46 minutes
A New Dad's Guide to Ramadan

How do you navigate fasting and nourishment as a sleep-deprived parent during the month of Ramadan? James Beard Award–winning writer... more

13 Apr 2023 · 44 minutes
Season 13 Starts April 13!

How do you navigate the grocery shop while blind? Did an apple pie really seal the fate of one man’s... more

23 Mar 2023 · 1 minute
Going Deep on Italian Beef on City Cast Chicago

Kevin chats with City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran about the making of our episode on Italian Beef.

02 Feb 2023 · 14 minutes
The World’s Greatest Italian Beef

Inspired by the TV show The Bear, host Kevin Pang attempts to engineer the World’s Greatest Italian Beef sandwich.

12 Jan 2023 · 53 minutes
The Amazing Adventures of Poppop’s Bread

In Proof's holiday episode: An adventure-filled story about family, war, escape, and a very special bread called vanocka.

15 Dec 2022 · 44 minutes
The Proof Intervention of Brian Franklin

America's Test Kitchen PR Director Brian Franklin's job? Spread the good word about the delicious food the company creates. There's... more

08 Dec 2022 · 48 minutes
Food Accidents

A breakfast cereal created by religious leaders. Chicken wings, infidelity, and revenge. In this episode, two foods we know and... more

01 Dec 2022 · 49 minutes
When Old-Fashioned Candy Was New

In this episode, travel writer Doug Mack takes us on a trip into the colorful world of old-timey candies.

17 Nov 2022 · 43 minutes
Should I Cook For My Dog?

Not satisfied with standard dog food, reporter Varud Gupta wants to know: Should I cook for my dog Luna? He... more

10 Nov 2022 · 44 minutes
Season 12 Starts November 10!

On the new season of Proof: Meet eccentric dog owners and pet personalities as we investigate whether or not we... more

27 Oct 2022 · 1 minute
Best of Proof: Cheater Cheater Chili Eater

This week, we bring you a story of a major scandal in 2003 at a Texas chili cook-off where a... more

13 Oct 2022 · 42 minutes
Best of Proof: Oyster Mushroom Revolution

This week, we tell the story of an unsuspecting fungi and its critical role in Rwanda's growing economy.

06 Oct 2022 · 36 minutes
Best of Proof: The Plan to Kill the Chinese Restaurant

This week, we bring back a crowd favorite that dives into the story of an organized effort to wipe out... more

29 Sep 2022 · 35 minutes
Best of Proof: Celery

This week, we're spotlighting Proof's very first episode, which takes a deep dive into the former “it” vegetable of the... more

22 Sep 2022 · 35 minutes
Proof's Guide to Hangovers

What's actually going on in our bodies when we experience a hangover? In this last episode of the season, host... more

15 Sep 2022 · 35 minutes
These Are a Few of Our Favorite Meals

Bigma's Blackberry Pie. A warming bowl of chicken pho. Diner coffee, and a nostalgic meal at a Chinese restaurant in... more

08 Sep 2022 · 1 hour, 8 minutes
The Food Court is Now in Session

Cake cones vs. waffle cones. New York vs. San Francisco for bagels. Why do we have fights about food? Reporter... more

01 Sep 2022 · 49 minutes
15 Dapper Acres

Author M Shelly Conner explores what it means to be a dapperqueer homesteader, as she recounts her move from the... more

25 Aug 2022 · 36 minutes
Chicago's Original Fried Chicken

Host Kevin Pang takes a trip to the Southside of Chicago to tell the story of Chicago's most famous culinary... more

18 Aug 2022 · 35 minutes
Dungeons and Dragons and Deviled Eggs

From the Legend of Zelda to Dungeons and Dragons, reporter Sarah Vitak talks to the fan cookbook authors who are... more

11 Aug 2022 · 35 minutes
The Vanishing Ants

Leafcutter ants have been a traditional Colombian food for millennia, but they're now vanishing. Reporter Camilo Garzón reports on the... more

04 Aug 2022 · 33 minutes
Strawberry Fields, Forever?

Japanese Americans are integral to the California Strawberry origin story. Through three generations of Japanese strawberry farmers, reporter Hannah Kirshner... more

28 Jul 2022 · 44 minutes
Season 11 Starts on July 28th!

Why is a key ingredient behind a beloved Colombian snack disappearing? What's mild sauce got to do with one of... more

14 Jul 2022 · 1 minute
[Bonus] Best of Proof Harklist

Let your ears wander on this bonus episode where we bring you some of the best moments from Proof, brought... more

23 Jun 2022 · 42 minutes
[Bonus] New Orleans: Anybody’s Gumbo from the Not Lost podcast

Here’s a special preview of Not Lost, a new podcast about finding yourself in places you’ve never been from our... more

16 Jun 2022 · 47 minutes
Your Trash? My Treasure

For the season finale, we bring you three short stories on the theme: One person's trash is another person's treasure.... more

09 Jun 2022 · 1 hour, 13 minutes
The Seeds Worth Saving

Reporter Jean Trinh chronicles the lives of three farmers who have made it their mission to plant seeds that sow... more

02 Jun 2022 · 46 minutes
They Know What You'll Eat Next Summer

Reporter John Ringer goes behind the scenes at The Kerry Group, a food factory and lab, and traces the history... more

26 May 2022 · 29 minutes
How to Water a Food Desert

Black Americans have deep historical connections and ownership over vegan and plant-based cuisines. In this episode of Proof, writer Gabrielle... more

19 May 2022 · 40 minutes
The Pho Must Go On

What happens when we need to amend family recipes that have been past down for generations? Is something lost when... more

12 May 2022 · 41 minutes
You're Invited: A Wine Tasting in Ancient Japan

Before there was sake, there might have been wine in ancient Japan. Reporter Hannah Kirshner investigates.

05 May 2022 · 44 minutes
The Stew that Stirred Things Up

Chicken mull is a comfort dish that's a staple of Bear Grass, North Carolina's close-knit community identity. What happens when... more

28 Apr 2022 · 32 minutes
Get Rich or Die Cracking

Black walnuts are probably nature's toughest nut to crack. But one man--television producer and newbie farmer Mike Trinklein--is determined to... more

21 Apr 2022 · 41 minutes
Season 10 Starts on April 21st!

A lucrative nut scheme. Ancient wine made in Japan. And a team of distillers who make vodka out of...sheet cake?!... more

07 Apr 2022 · 1 minute
The Somali Farmer Rises

What does it mean to set up a farm--for and by a minority community--in a predominantly white region? Reporter Ashia... more

06 Jan 2022 · 30 minutes
Dumplings in Iowa

What does it look like when you uproot yourself from a familiar culinary place to an unknown city? The Moth... more

16 Dec 2021 · 44 minutes
My Father, The YouTube Star

This week's episode is a story about family, what happens when immigrants move to a new country, and how Proof... more

09 Dec 2021 · 35 minutes
So What Do You Feed the Dead?

Around the world and throughout history, we’ve celebrated the departed with rituals that involve food. But Zoroastrian priest Marziban Hathiram... more

02 Dec 2021 · 30 minutes
Should I get my Lobster High?

Would hotboxing a lobster make it feel less pain before it’s cooked to eat? Science reporter Sarah Vitak considers the... more

18 Nov 2021 · 37 minutes
Will Jewish Delis Survive?

Jewish delis are a staple of many American cities and neighborhoods. But even before the COVID-19, Jewish delis were already... more

11 Nov 2021 · 39 minutes
Season 9 Starts November 11!

Jewish delis. Lobsters on cannabis. How host Kevin Pang's dad became an unlikely YouTube cooking star. All of that on... more

28 Oct 2021 · 1 minute
[Bonus] Mystery Recipe Season Four

Today we have a special episode from our friends over at Mystery Recipe, a podcast from America's Test Kitchen Kids for... more

21 Oct 2021 · 29 minutes
One Man's Fight for Old Bay Seasoning

Old Bay Seasoning is sprinkled on seafood, fries, and even used in ice cream. But despite its renowned fame and... more

16 Sep 2021 · 28 minutes
Why Be Vegetarian?

In this episode, reporter Sheila V Kumar interrogates her own vegetarianism and asks what consequences our food choices have in... more

09 Sep 2021 · 45 minutes
The Drink that Wouldn't Die

Mudslides. Persecution during the French Revolution. Few drinks have gone through the ringer the way Chartreuse has. Proof's managing producer... more

02 Sep 2021 · 39 minutes
The Spice Blend That Takes You Home

Two Palestinian women instantly share a bond over social media for their love of a scent that reminds them of... more

26 Aug 2021 · 32 minutes
The Food Here Is No Joke

Reporter Stephen Calabria digs into the history of the Olive Tree Cafe and its role in feeding some of America's... more

19 Aug 2021 · 43 minutes
How Far Would You Travel for An Apple?

One man’s quest to find a lost apple variety.

12 Aug 2021 · 38 minutes
How Pineapples Became A Hashtag

How did the pineapple end up as a symbol for Taiwanese national identity? Reporter Kai McNamee investigates.

05 Aug 2021 · 36 minutes
Why Did Jello Salad Go Out Of Style?

Wherefore the Jello Salad? It's a story that begins in the Middle Ages, features handsome door-to-door gelatin salesmen on horseback,... more

29 Jul 2021 · 41 minutes
Season 8 Starts July 29 with a new host!

We're back with a new season of Proof--with a new host--with stories that delight, surprise, and spark your curiosity. (Hopefully... more

22 Jul 2021 · 1 minute
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The Spice Blend That Takes You Home
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Description

Two Palestinian women instantly share a bond over social media for their love of a scent that reminds them of their homeland.