Gastropod

Harry Klee, an Emeritus professor focused on breeding better-tasting tomatoes, joins Gabriela Toledo, an associate professor and founder of the Tomatoes for Tomorrow Initiative. They explore the tomato's fascinating journey from culinary obscurity to global fame. Discover the historical challenges the tomato faced, the rise of tomato pills in America, and the flavor trade-offs of mass production. They also discuss the quest to enhance tomato taste in agriculture, highlighting how modern breeding can restore the essence of heirloom varieties for future generations.

Adrian Miller, a food scholar focused on African-American culinary history, joins Shana Klein, an art historian and author, along with David Shields, a professor and rice foundation chair. They dive deep into the origins of watermelon, tracing its journey from bitter wild fruit to summer staple. The discussion highlights the fruit's complex history, marred by racial stereotypes and cultural significance. Listeners learn about breeding efforts in America, the social implications of iconic imagery, and the rediscovery of sweet varietals, making this summer favorite a compelling subject.

Join Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, and Alberto Chesaine, guardian of the world's largest corn collection, as they unravel the captivating history of maize. Discover how this once inedible weed transformed into a cultural cornerstone through the invention of tortillas. Delve into the fascinating process of nixtamalization, its nutritional benefits, and the cultural ties it has to Aztec tradition. The duo also explores corn's vital role in culinary heritage and the ongoing challenges of preserving heirloom varieties amidst climate change.

Jeff Horwitz, a Wall Street Journal reporter with a flair for the unusual, shares his wild experiment of consuming poison oak to build immunity. Alongside Noam Hassenfeld, they discuss the surprising culinary potential of this notorious plant. The duo dives into the humorous and perilous world of foraging, poking fun at the absurdity of trying to eat your way to immunity. They also explore the controversial views on poison oak consumption and unravel historical treatments for poison ivy, blending science and adventure with a side of humor.

Boris Gorelick, a senior research fellow at the Institute for African Studies in Moscow and author of "The Story of Rooibos," joins the discussion to unravel captivating topics. They explore the environmental impact of meal kits versus traditional cooking, the surprising origins of rooibos tea, and its journey from local treasure to global sensation. Gorelick shares intriguing insights into the health claims around rooibos and reveals the whimsical world of bubblegum flavor, including its fantasy taste profile and its nostalgic appeal.

Luis Zambrano, a biology professor, and David Corbayo, an anthropology expert, delve into the fascinating world of Tenochtitlan, the Aztec capital. They discuss its ingenious agricultural practices like chinampas, which sustained a city on a lake without traditional livestock. Listeners will discover the unique diet of the Aztecs, featuring items like insect eggs and axolotls, and explore the cultural significance of these foods. The conversation also touches on modern implications for sustainable urban food systems and efforts to revive this extraordinary heritage.

Join Dan Capel, author of 'Banana, the Fate of the Fruit that Changed the World', and Ben Brisebois, a professor of public health, as they explore the looming banana crisis. They discuss the devastating impact of Panama disease on global banana crops and the historical parallels with past banana disasters. Delve into the mystery of banana flavoring, the dark history of the banana industry, and the challenges of monoculture farming. Plus, discover innovative alternatives and the fascinating diversity of bananas, all while pondering the future of this beloved fruit.

Mauricio Diaz Granados, Chief Science Officer at the New York Botanical Garden, shares the fascinating journey of bananas from tropical origins to global staples. He discusses their surprising classification as berries and the impact of innovations in transportation that made them beloved in America. The conversation touches on the cultural significance of Chiquita Banana and the darker realities of the banana trade, including labor struggles and corporate power in Central America, revealing a complex legacy behind this beloved fruit.

Humanity's love affair with beer goes *way* back: 5,000 years ago, the civilization that arose in Mesopotamia invented writing, and one of the very first things they wrote about was... beer! But where was beer itself invented? This episode, we've got the story of beer's origins, the debate over whether humanity domesticated grains for brewing or for baking, and why beer was so essential to the smooth functioning of the world's first cities and states. But the story of how we know this—how we can decipher millennia-old drinking songs written in a forgotten language and alphabet, analyze pottery to reconstruct the ingredients list for ancient brews, and even figure out that, for maximum authenticity, we need to drink the resulting beverage through a hollow reed—well, that's perhaps even more fascinating! This week, archaeologist Tate Paulette is our guide as we meet the goddess of beer, sneak a peek at the letters of beer-brewing wives left behind by merchant husbands, and enjoy a time-traveling tasting of an ancient ale, produced with the help of cutting-edge science. Fill your glass and listen in—and don't forget your straw! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Duncan Farrington, a fourth-generation English farmer specializing in high-quality, cold-pressed rapeseed oil, dives into the heated debate over canola oil. He discusses its misunderstood origins, the transformation from rapeseed to canola, and the myths surrounding its health impacts. Farrington shares insights about the innovative agricultural practices that made canola widely accepted, the culinary appeal of its cold-pressed variant, and challenges to its negative reputation, leaving listeners questioning what really belongs in their kitchens.