Author Aleksandra Crapanzano uncovers the rich history of chocolate—from black markets to murder in the church, people have stopped at nothing to procure this luxurious ingredient. Plus, record producer David Katznelson plays us some drinking songs; Alex Aïnouz masters the art of stock; and we whip up a Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream and Almond Praline. Get our recipe for Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream and Almond Praline here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Milk Street's 10th anniversary is right around the corner! To celebrate, we're revisiting our favorite moments, starting with this week’s episode featuring the very first appearance of regular contributor Alex Aïnouz. On YouTube, Alex is known for his mad scientist experiments, from his million-layer puff pastry to his quest for the perfect French omelet. Also in this episode—we hear about the amazing history of pickles; Dan Pashman takes us to Shabbat at Wendy's; and we cook chicken under a brick. Get our recipe for Chicken Under a Brick here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Al Roker is back on Milk Street with family recipes and television stories to share. He recalls celebrity-filled lunches at the NBC commissary and the holiday meal he dreamt of while recovering from surgery. Plus, Ben Mims reveals the secret history of cookies; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way With Words” express holiday gratitude with food-themed compliments; and we prepare Cantonese Sweet-and-Sour Pork. Get our recipe for Cantonese Sweet-and-Sour Pork here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Happy Thanksgiving! Join us for a star-studded trip down memory lane with our Thanksgiving episode from 2019! Stella Parks reveals pumpkin pie secrets and serves up a fresh twist on à la mode; Vivian Howard invites us to her kitchen for North Carolina turkey and sides; Alice Waters, Erin French, Joanne Chang, Reem Kassis and other chefs, authors and friends recount their most harrowing Thanksgiving disasters, and share their culinary wisdom and family memories; Dr. Aaron Carroll talks food safety and stuffing; we make a quick Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle; and Adam Gopnik explores the magic of leftovers. Get our recipe for Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

How do you carve a turkey without losing the crispy skin? What kind of pie should you make if you’re sick of apple? And what’s the world’s easiest pie crust? This week, chefs Jet Tila and Dominique Ansel join Chris Kimball to answer your Thanksgiving cooking questions. Plus chef Jesse Griffiths goes hunting for wild turkeys; José Andrés, Melissa Clark, Joe Yonan and Monti Carlo reveal why they’re tired of serving the big bird (and what they’re making instead); and our friends and listeners share their most unique holiday traditions. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We're putting the finishing touches on our 2025 Thanksgiving special, but in the meantime we have a special treat: We're re-releasing our first-ever Thanksgiving episode from 2017! Reporter Sandip Roy desperately seeks turkey in Calcutta; Kenji López-Alt reveals his secrets to make-ahead mashed potatoes; Dan Pashman spins the wheel of Thanksgiving anxiety; we find out from Dr. Aaron Carroll whether tryptophan really makes us sleepy; Adam Gopnik shares the story of his first Thanksgiving in New York City; and wine expert Stephen Meuse tells us the best wines for the season. Get our recipe for Tea-Rubbed Maple Turkey here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Nancy Silverton is here to make you a better baker. She tells the story about the time she made Julia Child cry on TV and the very best way to make cornbread, angel food cake and more classic desserts. Plus, Joan De Jesus explains the wine world’s biggest trend right now, natural wines; J. Kenji López-Alt shares his secrets for cooking salmon at home; and we make Korean Stir-Fried Chicken with Rice. Get this week’s recipe for Korean Stir-Fried Chicken with Rice here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In the beginning, there was the Cronut, the pastry hybrid that ushered in the era of "viral" foods. Its mass appeal wasn't all that surprising, but what about the rise of tinned fish? Reporter Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong shares the unlikely story of this humble pantry staple. Plus, chef Joshua McFadden changes the way we cook and eat pasta, and our friends from A Way With words teach us a language lesson about pumpkins. Get Joshua McFadden’s recipe for Creamy Bean Pasta Fagiole here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Milk Street Radio took our show on the road for an unforgettable night at The Wisconsin Art of Cheese Festival in Madison, Wisconsin. To celebrate being in America’s Dairyland, Chris got a Wisconsin dairy history lesson from Laura Werlin; met with Master Cheesemakers Marieke Penterman and Chris Roelli; and even got his fortune read with a wedge of cheddar, thanks to professional cheese fortune teller, Jennifer Billock. Local legend Chef Tory Miller rounded out the evening with a tell-all interview — where he revealed how he beat Bobby Flay - and answered the audience’s cheesiest questions. This special episode of Milk Street Radio is made in collaboration with our sponsor Wisconsin Cheese. Look for the Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge at your local grocery store. To learn more visit WisconsinCheese.com.

Modernist Cuisine founder Nathan Myhrvold is here with his hottest pizza takes, from deep dish to Tokyo marinara. Plus, journalist Larry Tye tells us how the father of public relations made bacon a breakfast staple, Adam Gopnik explains how to cook for a family with vastly different dietary restrictions, and we whip up a Venetian pasta recipe with radicchio and walnuts. Get this week’s recipe for Pasta with Radicchio and Walnuts here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at “Bon Appétit Bake Club.” In this episode of Bon Appétit Bake Club, hosts Shilpa and Jesse team up with pie expert Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of “The Book on Pie,” to tackle listener questions on how to bake the perfect pie. You can listen to all episodes of BA Bake Club here: swap.fm/l/ba-bakeclub-msr

We’re serving up an extra frightful hour of Milk Street Radio! Folklorist Lesley Bannatyne reveals the mischievous origins of the jack-o’-lantern, and Oaxacan tour guide Gabriel Sánchez shares memories from Day of the Dead celebrations. Candy historian Susan Benjamin recounts candy’s surprising history in America — and the ghostly encounters in her candy shop — and we uncover a modern recipe for the Witches’ Brew from Macbeth. And, to further satisfy our sweet teeth, Stella Parks hops on the phone with Chris to take on your autumn baking calls. For more information the Witches’ Brew recipe from Macbeth, head here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

According to journalist Zoë Schlanger, your garden isn’t just full of plants that are alive, but plants that can think—like the rice plant, which recognizes its own family members. Schlanger takes us inside a hotbed of scientific controversy: the study of plant intelligence. Plus, the Washington Post’s Joe Yonan masters the art of plant-based cooking; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette help us wrap our heads around food words; and we make a Greek White Bean Soup. (Originally aired November 1, 2024.) Get this week’s recipe for Greek White Bean Soup here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Food writer Tim Hayward shares the juicy history of the steak. We take a peek inside the secret beefsteak societies of England and New York, learn a classic Argentinian salting method, and even try a steak from a 25 year-old-cow in Spain. Plus, Kenji López-Alt goes on a quest for the perfect teriyaki; Sara Moulton and Chris take your cooking calls; and we prepare a Sunflower Hummus from Georgia. Get this week’s recipe for Sunflower Hummus here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

This week, your favorite apples get ranked, mercilessly. Find out which apples comedian Brian Frange deems “horse food” and “indigestible filth,” and which crisp, glorious apples rise to the top of the heap. Plus, reporter Katie Thornton joins us to discuss the history and ingenuity of the Frankfurt Kitchen, the blueprint for space-saving kitchen design; Adam Gopnik revels in the alchemical wonder of stovetop cooking; and we make Indian-Spiced Smashed Potatoes. (Originally aired October 13, 2023.) Get this week’s recipe for Indian-Spiced Smashed Potatoes here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Bon Appétit columnist Maggie Hennessy helps us navigate the new rules of dining out. Is it ever OK to take out your phone? What’s the best way to grab your server’s attention? And how fussy is too fussy? Plus, Irene Yoo throws a soju party, and Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of A Way With Words share the stories behind your favorite pasta shapes. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We explore the cooking of Colombia with Mariana Velásquez, from homemade arepas to sweet panela that tastes like almost-burnt caramel. Plus, we learn about the secret world of creating food emojis with artist Yiying Lu, Adam Gopnik ponders the elements of dinner, and we present a recipe for Spicy and Sour Julienned Potato Salad with Sichuan Pepper. (Originally aired July 23, 2021.) Get this week's recipe for Spicy and Sour Julienned Potato Salad with Sichuan Pepper. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Samin Nosrat. We discuss everything from fame and family to her current culinary obsessions. She shares her favorite salad dressings, go-to snacks and treasured old recipes, alongside exciting new flavors and techniques (whipped tahini! burnt honey!). Plus, hear how she found the sublime in food processor pesto. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

Following her 2017 hit—“Salt Fat Acid Heat”—Samin Nosrat is back with her second book, “Good Things”. We talk about fame, family and what she’s cooking; her favorite new flavors and techniques (whipped tahini! burnt honey!); and how she found the sublime in food processor pesto. Plus, James Ooi shares secrets from the Chinese supermarket and Chris and Sara Moulton are back and ready to take on more of your cooking questions. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify

When Justin Davies cuts into a piece of wood, he wonders what it tastes like. Today, he shares his adventures in crafting desserts out of trees, from the bark infusion that made his tongue go numb to the ice cream concocted from an infamously smelly tree. Plus, Lidia Bastianich returns to answer your questions on pasta and pesto; we eat through the backroads of Vietnam with chef Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen; and writer Jenny Linford meditates on cooking’s most elusive ingredient. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify