pod.link/proof
pod.link copied!
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

Listen now on

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

Episodes

Can Science Brew a Better Cup of Tea?

On his quest to brew the perfect cup of tea, reporter Jerome Campbell gathers insights from a tea historian and... more

24 Apr 2025 · 40 minutes
Why Do Meals Taste Better at Such Great Heights?

Ever wonder why food tastes so much better after a long hike? Reporter Otis Gray climbs up the White Mountains... more

17 Apr 2025 · 45 minutes
A new season of Proof starts April 17!

How did content creator Sarah Ahn reconnect with her Korean identity through food? Why does food taste so good at... more

10 Apr 2025 · 1 minute
Dumplings in Iowa (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)

In the final episode of our Best of Proof: Travel Edition series, we find out what it looks like when... more

06 Mar 2025 · 51 minutes
Chasing the Freshest Beer (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)

In this episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we take flight and join reporter Kate Bernot on a journey... more

27 Feb 2025 · 42 minutes
What's on the Menu in 1906? (Best of Proof Travel Edition)

In this week's episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we visit the New York public library and search through... more

20 Feb 2025 · 48 minutes
Seeking Korean Soviet Cooking (Best of Proof Travel Edition)

In this week's episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we explore the history of Koryo Saram cuisine (Korean Soviet... more

13 Feb 2025 · 56 minutes
The Lost Crops of Sapelo Island (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)

In this week's episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we take the ferry to Georgia's Sapelo Island to visit... more

06 Feb 2025 · 46 minutes
Chicken Tender Capital, USA (Best of Proof: Travel Edition)

On this episode of Best of Proof: Travel Edition, we replay an episode where one comedian is on a mission... more

30 Jan 2025 · 53 minutes
How Cooking Competitions Took Over TV (Part 2)

In part 2 of our deep-dive into the history of culinary competition shows, America's Test Kitchen: The Next Generation contestant Garrett... more

19 Dec 2024 · 42 minutes
How Cooking Competitions Took Over TV (Part 1)

From Iron Chef to The Great British Bake Off, cooking competition shows hav been a staple of American entertainment and... more

12 Dec 2024 · 38 minutes
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 · 51 minutes
How to Save a Hive

Melipona honey from Mexico is prized for its taste and its medicinal qualities. But melipona bees are under threat; not... more

21 Nov 2024 · 42 minutes
The (Iron) White Claw

Writer and former restaurant owner Dionne Reid investigates White Claw's rapid ascendance and its prowess as a gay icon. If you... more

14 Nov 2024 · 41 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 lead... more

07 Nov 2024 · 39 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 · 41 minutes
The (Tea) Room Where It Happened

What if we told you that one of the earliest third places—spots outside of the home and workplace where people... more

24 Oct 2024 · 45 minutes
In Love with the Shape of Food

As we kick off a new season of Proof, we dig into the psychology and science behind our fascination with... more

17 Oct 2024 · 42 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 · 3 minutes
ATK at 25: Reverse-Engineering the Boxed Brownie (Episode 4)

This week on the podcast, we bring you the fourth and final episode of our miniseries where we reveal the... more

03 Oct 2024 · 24 minutes
ATK at 25: Why You Need a Wok (Episode 3)

This week on the podcast, we bring you the third episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind... more

26 Sep 2024 · 27 minutes
ATK at 25: How Many Eggs in the Perfect Scramble? (Episode 2)

This week on the podcast, we bring you the second episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind... more

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

This week on the podcast, we bring you the first episode of our miniseries where we reveal the backstories behind... more

12 Sep 2024 · 25 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 · 4 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: What is the Future of Barbecue? (Episode 4)

In a matter of months, Kelli Nevarez went from first-grade music teacher to pitmaster of the Texas Monthly Top 50... more

22 Aug 2024 · 34 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Hogroast Heads North (Episode 3)

Transporting a Southern tradition to the North might seem like a tall order, but Cook's Country grilling expert Morgan Bolling... more

15 Aug 2024 · 26 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Woman Who Gave Us Fajitas (Episode 2)

Ninfa Laurenzo, or Mama Ninfa as many called her, was a trailblazer and an icon in the city of Houston,... more

08 Aug 2024 · 27 minutes
Barbecue Trailblazers: The Queen of Smoke (Episode 1)

In a world where barbecuing is considered "dude food" and men's work, Helen Turner is an institution. She's steadily nurtured... more

01 Aug 2024 · 31 minutes
Introducing When Southern Women Cook: Our Miniseries on Barbecue Trailblazers

For far too long, the art of barbecue and grilling have been considered “men’s work.” But women were cooking with... more

25 Jul 2024 · 4 minutes
100 Proof: From 100 to Zero Proof (Episode 6)

The cocktail emerges from the dark ages and enters the modern era. In this episode: We meet more innovative mixologists... more

11 Jul 2024 · 35 minutes
100 Proof: The Dark Ages (Episode 5)

The 1950s to the 1990s are often dubbed as the cocktail's Dark Ages where drinks like Long Island Iced Teas... more

03 Jul 2024 · 37 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 · 33 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 · 38 minutes
Buy Me Some Biryani and Cracker Jack

The Cricket World Cup started this week, and fans in New York are celebrating the wickets, the fast bowlers, and biryani. How did... more

06 Jun 2024 · 35 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 · 44 minutes
100 Proof: It Wasn't Always Like This (Episode 1)

This week, we kick off Proof's first-ever miniseries. Episode 1 explores how we got to our modern cocktail renaissance. Why... more

23 May 2024 · 42 minutes
Introducing 100 Proof: Our Miniseries on the American Cocktail

Even before the Stone Age, our ancestors were thinking about what happens when we combine one flavor with another, both... more

13 May 2024 · 4 minutes
The Unavoidable Ingredient

Can saliva change the way our food tastes? Does it affect our cooking? In our Season 16 finale, reporter Jacklyn... more

02 May 2024 · 43 minutes
A (Wooly) Mammoth of A Meal

In 1951, the Explorer's Club hosted an extravagant banquet that had 250,000-year-old woolly mammoth on the menu. The dinner raised eyebrows... more

25 Apr 2024 · 41 minutes
The River That Feeds Us

We're headed to the riverbanks of the Magdalena River to experience a Colombian tradition of eating stew, called the paseo de olla. Journalist... more

18 Apr 2024 · 45 minutes
Boycotting Your Favorite Food

What happens when you have to boycott your favorite food? Reporter Makepeace Sitlhou travels to her home to North East... more

11 Apr 2024 · 41 minutes
It’s All Greek Salad to Me

We kick off Season 16 with a new episode that traces Horiatiki, or the Greek salad's journey from Athens to... more

04 Apr 2024 · 50 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, a podcast about... more

27 Mar 2024 · 48 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. Host... more

21 Mar 2024 · 52 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 · 44 minutes
Award Winners: Sakura and the Wild Boars

Author Hannah Kirshner takes us on a captivating journey into the woods of rural Japan alongside boar hunter, Sakura Yoshida.... more

07 Mar 2024 · 59 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 · 53 minutes
Award Winners: The Drink that Wouldn't Die

Chartreuse, a beloved liqueur among bartenders, defies the test of time. We recount the history of this drink that wouldn't die in... more

22 Feb 2024 · 45 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 · 56 minutes
Award Winners: You're a Good Man, Brady Keys

Pulitzer-prize winning author Dr. Marcia Chatelain returns to share the story of Brady Keys, a former NFL star and Black entrepreneur whose franchise, All-Pro... more

08 Feb 2024 · 49 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 · 46 minutes
Award Winners: World's Greatest Italian Beef

This week, we replay our award-winning episode inspired by the food in FX's "The Bear". We get to the meat... more

25 Jan 2024 · 1 hour,
Cheesesteaks Go to Pakistan

How did the Philly Cheesesteak make its way to Lahore, Pakistan? Journalist Kunwar Khuldune Shahid traces the transcontinental journey. Try Ayesha Sarwar’s recipe... more

11 Jan 2024 · 44 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. Did this episode make... more

14 Dec 2023 · 39 minutes
The Lost Crops of Sapelo Island

The Gullah Geechee community on Sapelo Island, Georgia, is in a battle against time. Every year, storms, salt water, and... more

07 Dec 2023 · 46 minutes
How Almond Boneless Chicken Took Over Detroit

ABC, or almond boneless chicken, is a popular Chinese-American dish from Detroit. But it's not as well known outside the... more

30 Nov 2023 · 37 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 · 43 minutes
World's First Italian Coffee Bean

Despite its rich coffee and cafe culture, Italy doesn't produce its own coffee beans. One man is trying to change... more

09 Nov 2023 · 42 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 · 3 minutes
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 · 43 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 · 45 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 · 45 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 · 44 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. ... more

28 Sep 2023 · 34 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 · 57 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 · 48 minutes
Proof Presents: Snacks!

The Proof team presents bite-size stories on snacks and snacking. Want a snack while you listen? Check out ATK’s reviews... more

07 Sep 2023 · 59 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 · 1 hour,
America's First Butter Sculptor

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

24 Aug 2023 · 58 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 · 56 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 · 53 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 · 44 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 · 3 minutes
What Is Fusion Food?

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

01 Jun 2023 · 59 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. New... more

25 May 2023 · 45 minutes
What’s On the Menu in 1906?

What did dining out look like in 1906? We put the question to reporter Doug Mack, who dug through the New... more

18 May 2023 · 48 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 · 44 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 · 37 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 · 41 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 · 53 minutes
A New Dad's Guide to Ramadan

The month of Ramadan is here, and James Beard Award–winning writer Ahmed Ali Akbar is a new dad. He wants... more

13 Apr 2023 · 52 minutes
Season 13 Starts April 13!

On lucky season 13 of Proof, we travel to Argentina where workers are fighting hard to save their national desert:... more

23 Mar 2023 · 3 minutes
Going Deep on Italian Beef on City Cast Chicago

Kevin gives City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran a behind-the-scenes look at the making of our Proof episode on the World’s... more

02 Feb 2023 · 16 minutes
The World’s Greatest Italian Beef

One of the hottest TV shows of the past year was FX’s The Bear, about a fine-dining chef who takes... more

12 Jan 2023 · 1 hour,
The Amazing Adventures of Poppop’s Bread

Reporter Halley Bondy came upon an autobiography written by her grandfather, who she called Poppop. His life was astonishing: Poppop... more

15 Dec 2022 · 52 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 · 55 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 · 56 minutes
When Old-Fashioned Candy Was New

Travel writer Doug Mack felt trapped. Winter was approaching in Minnesota. Another surge of lock-downs and travel restrictions loomed. Staring... more

17 Nov 2022 · 51 minutes
Should I Cook For My Dog?

We think long and hard about what we feed our families. What about our canine friends? In this episode, reporter... more

10 Nov 2022 · 52 minutes
Season 12 Starts November 10!

In Season 12 of Proof from America's Test Kitchen, we're bringing you stories from wartime Czechoslovakia to an Italian beef... more

27 Oct 2022 · 2 minutes
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. A newcomer turns... more

13 Oct 2022 · 49 minutes
Best of Proof: Oyster Mushroom Revolution

This week, we bring back another all-time favorite episode about a fungi and its critical role in one of the fastest... more

06 Oct 2022 · 44 minutes
Best of Proof: The Plan to Kill the Chinese Restaurant

This week, we bring back a listener favorite that dives into the consequences of a legislation that tried to prohibit... more

29 Sep 2022 · 42 minutes
Best of Proof: Celery

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

22 Sep 2022 · 43 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 · 43 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, 16 minutes
The Food Court is Now in Session

Ever wish you could settle--once and for all--the question of whether triangular-shaped pizzas are better than square-shaped pies? The Court... more

01 Sep 2022 · 56 minutes
15 Dapper Acres

What does it mean to be a dapperqueer homesteader? Author M Shelly Conner explores this question as she recounts her... more

25 Aug 2022 · 43 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 · 42 minutes
Dungeons and Dragons and Deviled Eggs

Ever wish you could spend the day immersed in the fantasy worlds from your book, show, or game? Meet the... more

11 Aug 2022 · 43 minutes
The Vanishing Ants

Leafcutter ants have been a traditional Colombian food for millennia, long predating Spanish colonization. But the ants, eaten by Colombians... more

04 Aug 2022 · 41 minutes
Strawberry Fields, Forever?

As one of the most commonly consumed berries in the world, strawberries are a beloved household snack. But this soft,... more

28 Jul 2022 · 51 minutes
Season 11 Starts on July 28th!

This season, we’re bringing you food stories from all over--from South America to the South Side of Chicago. We travel... more

14 Jul 2022 · 2 minutes
[Bonus] Best of Proof Harklist

This week, we're bringing you a collection of some of our favorite Proof episodes. Our friends at Hark Audio curated... more

23 Jun 2022 · 44 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 · 49 minutes
Your Trash? My Treasure

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

09 Jun 2022 · 1 hour, 21 minutes
The Seeds Worth Saving

Baskets of bok choy, galangal, collard greens, epazote. We often take these United Nations of produce for granted, but it’s... more

02 Jun 2022 · 54 minutes
They Know What You'll Eat Next Summer

The McDonald’s vegan cheese slice. Botanical flavors for your next latte. A patent to cure meats with...celery juice. Many of... more

26 May 2022 · 37 minutes
How to Water a Food Desert

Black Americans have deep historical connections and ownership over vegan and plant-based cuisines. But after the Great Migration, many left... more

19 May 2022 · 47 minutes
The Pho Must Go On

Many of us have family recipes that have been passed down for generations. For reporter Anh Gray, it's her late... more

12 May 2022 · 49 minutes
Proof
The Vanishing Ants
Proof
0:00
-0:00

Listen now on

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

Description

Leafcutter ants have been a traditional Colombian food for millennia, long predating Spanish colonization. But the ants, eaten by Colombians since the... more