Persimmons of Interest

FromSavor

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Persimmons of Interest

FromSavor

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Length:

49 minutes

Released:

Feb 6, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

These sweet fruits can be shockingly astringent before they’re ripe – and they owe all kinds of amazing properties to that astringency. Anney and Lauren dig into the not at all cut-and-dried science and history of persimmons.
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Released:

Feb 6, 2021

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

Savor digs into how people live and how they eat – and why. Hosts Anney Reese and Lauren Vogelbaum interview the culinary creators and consumers of the world, exploring the science, history, and culture of food and drink, all with a key question in mind: Why do we like what we like, and how can we find more of those things?

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Honey, a History: Join Anney Reese and Lauren Vogelbaum as they dive into the history of honey in this two part series. by Savor
39 min listen
The Unsweetened History and Technology of Sugar: The demand for sugar has driven over a thousand years of greed, tragedy, political power shifts, and technological innovation. We won't sugarcoat it. by Savor
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Cauliflower: Fractaliscious and Nutritious: This seemingly humble member of the cabbage family has been prized for thousands of years by chefs, nutritionists, and mathematicians alike. Learn about cauliflower's long history, fascinating fractal shape, health benefits, and culinary potential. by Savor
51 min listen
$Cauliflower: Fractaliscious and Nutritious: This seemingly humble member of the cabbage family has been prized for thousands of years by chefs, nutritionists, and mathematicians alike. Learn about cauliflower's long history, fascinating fractal shape, health benefits, and culinary potential.$
You Butter Believe It’s a Two-Parter: Part 1: Since before written history, humans have been mad about butter. (Er, sometimes literally angry.) We explore the slippery physics and surprising strife behind butter. by Savor
30 min listen
The Troubled, Tasty Story of Fried Chicken: Physics makes fried chicken delicious, and human prejudice makes its connotations problematic. We delve into the history and science behind (specifically southern-American-style) fried chicken. by Savor
42 min listen
Cinnamon: The Tastiest of Tree Barks: Cinnamon's heat drove hundreds of years of intrigue before becoming the kitchen staple it is today. We dig into spicy history and culture of this delicious bark. by Savor
33 min listen
Fictional Foods: Butterbeer, from Book to Mug: Once a mere fantasy from the pages of "Harry Potter," butterbeer is now very real, very popular, and very delicious. In this new segment, we discuss the real-world history of a fictional food and its transition into reality. by Savor
28 min listen
The (Non)Science Behind Juice Cleanses: Do juice cleanses actually deliver on their promises? How did commercial juices become a thing anyway? Anney and Lauren extract the truth from the myths about juicing. by Savor
42 min listen
Chuck E. Cheese's: Pizza, Intrigue, and Entertainment: A pizza-loving rat, a live band of animatronic animals, and beer on tap: We explore how a scheme to make more money off of arcade games became an international cultural phenomenon. by Savor
40 min listen
Sugar and Your Health by Savor
56 min listen
How Did French Cuisine Become King?: French cuisine has a reputation as the best the culinary world has to offer, but why is that? Anney and Lauren trace the history of haute cuisine (and get to talk about celebrity chefs, lawyers, and tires along the way). by Savor
39 min listen
New Year’s Food Traditions: Eating for Luck and Money: All around the world, people ring in the New Year with foods said to bring good fortune. Anney and Lauren talk through traditions from their own homes and beyond. by Savor
40 min listen
You Say Tomato, I Say Wolfpeach: Once considered deadly, the tomato has a fascinating history as a tax evader, protest device, and potential hallucinogen! GASP. There's also a lot of great science and nicknames involved in the tomato's story. by Savor
34 min listen
Much Ado About Brunch: Brunch has always been a meal of excess and leisure, and it's therefore associated with some ugly classist, racist, and sexist ideals. But waffles are nice! We break down the problematic yet delicious history of brunch. by Savor
39 min listen
A Spork by Any Other Name: How has the spork captured so much attention? Who designed such a questionably useful utensil? Anney and Lauren explore the surprisingly rich history of the spork. by Savor
29 min listen
Could Honey Save Us All?: Humans have been eating honey since before recorded history -- and it may be the oldest medicine known to humankind, too. From ancient remedies to cutting-edge cures to rare dangers, we explore the amazing medical properties of honey. by Savor
36 min listen
FoodStuff: Episode Zero by Savor
3 min listen
The Julia Child Episode: Although she didn't even start cooking until her late 30s, Julia Child is known for bringing the art of French cuisine into American home kitchens. We trace the biography behind this TV icon by Savor
34 min listen
You Butter Believe It’s a Two-Parter: Part 2: What the heck is margarine, and how does it play in butter's history? Is it healthier to eat one versus the other? We wrap up our butterganza with these questions, plus cultural notes and cooking tips. by Savor
31 min listen
Life of (Apple) Pie: The saying goes, "as American as apple pie," but why? Anney and Lauren dig into the historical events that made apple pie a cultural icon. And talk pie science. Yes. by Savor
41 min listen
A Hard Look at Soft Drinks: Soda, pop, coke, or plain ol' carbonated water: We dive into the sometimes explosive science and history of all agua that sparkles, from natural mineral springs to soda fountains to Big Gulps. by Savor
47 min listen
The Quiche of Death: Quiche, the simple baked custard that took the '70s by storm, has a winding history involving some weird gender issues. We serve forth the ins and outs of quiche. by Savor
26 min listen
Expiration Dates: Best If Listened By: Expiration dates cause confusion and food waste -- Lauren and Anney do some demystifying (and talk about how a notorious gangster may have been involved with their inception). by Savor
29 min listen
Sweetbreads: Neither Sweet nor Bread: Not exactly sweet and definitely not a bread, sweetbreads are a type of offal with a pedigree among gastronomes. We explore how people treated this odd, tasty gland in the past, and how it made a comeback. by Savor
39 min listen
FoodStuff Is Moving to Fridays: This is not a full episode, but a quick notice: FoodStuff will be publishing on Fridays from now on! Yes. See you Friday! by Savor
1 min listen
The World Is Your Oyster: Oysters were one of humanity's first foods, and they've remained ragingly popular ever since. We dive into the biology, culinary history, and bloody piracy behind oysters. by Savor
44 min listen
Rice Rice Baby: It's just a staple food for over half the population of the planet, and has been for long enough that it shaped our languages, religions, and maybe even social psychology. This will probably be a short episode. by Savor
40 min listen
Stick a Fork in It: This everyday utensil is a relative newcomer to the table -- eating with a fork was considered scandalous and even sinful for centuries. Anney and Lauren trace the history and potential future of the fork (aka the dinglehopper). by Savor
28 min listen
Leggo Eleven's Eggo: A Tale of Frozen Waffles: Waffles have been around in more or less their modern form since the 1400s, but we have three 20th-century brothers to thank for the technology behind tasty, convenient frozen waffles. Here's their story. by Savor
25 min listen
A Graham Cracker A Day to Keep Sin Away: Graham crackers, one-third of delightful campfire s'mores, originated as a bland health food peddled by a temperance preacher. We explore how they became the treats they are today. by Savor
31 min listen

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Ramps: Raising a Stink by Savor
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Mooning Over Macaroons by Savor
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Savor Classic: Pickles by Savor
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Atlantic Halibut: Bombastic Side Eye by Savor
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Inside ‘Your Mama’s Kitchen’ with Michele Norris by Savor
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The X-TREME Mountain Dew Episode by Savor
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Savor Classics: Basil by Savor
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Churros: No Small Fry by Savor
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Got Orgeat? by Savor
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The Goat Episode: The GOAT?? by Savor
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All That and a Jar of Chili Crisp by Savor
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In a Jam with Lingonberries by Savor
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Listener Mail XIX: Adventures of the Inbox by Savor
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Rewriting History: The Malinda Russell Episode by Savor
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Savor Classics: The Mai Tai Cocktail by Savor
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The Popular Poppy Seed: These crunchy, oily seeds compliment many baked goods and other dishes – but they have a dangerous reputation. Anney and Lauren explore the history and science of poppy seeds and opium poppies. by Savor
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Grapefruit: One Strange Mother Pucker: This large citrus fruit features tasty tart and bitter flavors – but watch out, because it doesn’t mix with some medications. Anney and Lauren explore the history and science of grapefruit. by Savor
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Turn Up for Turnips: This root vegetable and its greens have been both reviled and celebrated for their bitter, pungent flavors. Anney and Lauren explore the storied history and spicy science of the turnip. by Savor
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Stop and (Don't) Smell the Durian: The durian fruit is famous for its rich custardlike flavor and infamous for its staunch corpselike scent. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and science behind this stinky delicacy. by Savor
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The Trouble with Truffles: This macrofungus is so expensive because it only grows underground, and only under particular conditions. Anney and Lauren dig into the long history and uncertain science of truffles. by Savor
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The Appealing Apple Episode: This popular tree fruit has been the subject of myths and legends throughout the ages – possibly due to linguistic confusion. Anney and Lauren explore the juicy history and snaking science of the apple. by Savor
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Savor Classics: The Miracle Berry: The miracle berry is a fruit that can make sour foods taste incredibly sweet. In this classic episode, Anney and Lauren explore the science behind flavor tripping, plus the strange, conspiracy-ridden history of the miracle berry's legality in the United States. by Savor
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The Cardamom Pod(cast): This complex spice, both warming and cooling, brings zing to foods from baked goods and curries to caffeinated drinks and beyond. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of cardamom. by Savor
31 min listen
Soaking in the Sunflowers: These large, lovely flowers each bear hundreds of seeds, prized for snacking and oil production alike. Anney and Lauren stick by ya -- and by the history and science of the sunflower. by Savor
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Pavlova Whisks Us Off Our Feet: This fluffy meringue dessert often comes with whipped cream, cut fruit, and contention. Anney and Lauren explore where pavlova really comes from and why meringue is so persnickety, scientifically speaking. by Savor
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Cashing in on Cashews: This buttery-sweet tree nut makes a tasty snack, milk, or ingredient – but its fruit is poisonous. But but: Its apple is not! Anney and Lauren break down the science and history of the cashew tree, nut, and apple. by Savor
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The Odd Duck Episode: This waterfowl is raised for its eggs, and the whole animal is used in different ways in cuisines around the world. Anney and Lauren flock to the science and history behind ducks. by Savor
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Spinach: Isn't It Ironic?: This leafy green provides soft structure, bright color, and a punch of nutrients to some of the world’s favorite comfort foods. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of spinach. by Savor
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Muscadines: No Sour Grapes: These sweet grapes, native to the American South, are known for their large size, thick skins, and aromatic wines. Anney and Lauren explore the botany and history of muscadines and scuppernongs. by Savor
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The Killer Breakfast Cereal Episode: These often sugary, heavily advertised products all root from an ascetic health food movement in the 1800s. Anney and Lauren explore the strange history and gun-puffed science of breakfast cereals. by Savor
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The Seedy Chia Episode: This plant and its nutritious, gel-producing seeds have been used as a staple crop, in nanotech, and as an indoor pet. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of chia. by Savor
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The Academia of the Macadamia: Macadamia nuts are often associated with Hawaii, but they didn’t originate there. Anney and Lauren delve into the genetic and cultural history of the trees that produce this sweet, buttery seed. by Savor
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Savor Classics: Kale by Savor
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Saffron: As Good As Gold: This spice is the most expensive in the world because it’s made from one small part of flowers that bloom only once a year. Anney and Lauren follow the threads of the science and history of saffron. by Savor
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Waxing Poetic About Sticky Rice: Glutinous rice’s super stickiness has given it a starring role in dishes across Southeastern Asia and beyond. Anney and Lauren dig into the science behind sticky rice – and dish on some of those dishes. by Savor
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A Tall Drink of Horchata: This category of beverages encompasses a continuum of often creamy, spiced, and slightly sweet nondairy drinks – and beyond. Anney and Lauren dip into the science and history of horchata. by Savor
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Oregano and Marjoram: Herbs by Any Other Name: This family of herbs lends warm, woody flavors to all kinds of dishes, and has been used medicinally for millennia. Anney and Lauren explore the science and history of oregano and marjoram. by Savor
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The Carob Pod: This sweet, rich legume has sometimes been used as a chocolate substitute, but it can (and should!) stand on its own. Anney and Lauren dip into the history and science of carob. by Savor
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The Bon Macaron Episode: These pretty, meringue-based cookies are a delightful treat – but can be a disaster to attempt making. Anney and Lauren explore the convoluted history and complex structural science of macarons. by Savor
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Case Cloves: This warm and strongly aromatic spice, made from the flower buds of a tropical tree, has long been a prized part of food and medicine everywhere that people could get it. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and science of cloves. by Savor
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Persimmons of Interest

Persimmons of Interest

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from Savor

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