Reheat: Andy Richter Bought A Midlife Crisis Fridge

Tacos al pastor are an iconic Mexico City dish — but a relatively new addition to Mexican cuisine. And they only came to be with influences from halfway around the world. Ham and Sohla share the surprising story of al pastor’s origins, then Ham visits Taquería Ramírez, one of the most talked about taco spots in Brooklyn, to learn their unique method. Make sure you listen all the way to the end of the episode to hear Ham cook up tacos al pastor with a twist! You can find that recipe on Ham’s Instagram.Deep Dish is a production of The Sporkful. The team includes Sohla El-Waylly, Ham El-Waylly, Andres O’Hara, Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell, with additional editing by Josh Richmond and Tomeka Weatherspoon. Original theme music by Casey Holford.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Feb 202439min

New York Times restaurant critic Pete Wells has been called the most feared food writer in America. He can make or break a restaurant with the power of one of his reviews. When he goes out, he does so in secret, making reservations under fake names because he doesn't want restaurants to know that he's coming. This week Pete takes Dan on an undercover mission to a New York restaurant. Then they talk about the nuts and bolts of Pete’s life as a critic. He eats out five nights a week, meaning he has plenty of bad meals — so how does he decide which places warrant bad reviews? And how does he account for the fact that different people have different tastes?This episode originally aired on May 13, 2019, and was produced by Dan Pashman, Anne Saini, Ngofeen Mputubwele, and Jared O’Connell. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Jared O'Connell, and Nora Ritchie.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

5 Feb 202436min

In 1964 Rocky Aoki, a Japanese immigrant, created hibachi restaurants in America when he opened his first Benihana. Rocky later said that he based his concept on the idea that "Americans enjoy eating in exotic surroundings, but are deeply mistrustful of exotic foods.” The restaurant took off, but Rocky's legacy is complicated. In this week's show we hear from people who knew Rocky, and we talk with a hibachi chef who's one of the more daring performers you'll find. We also hear from a former hibachi chef who says he was pushed to act "more Japanese" — and how that affected the way he thought about himself. And we answer the question of why certain cuisines are seen as “perpetually foreign” with the help of Professor Robert Ku.This episode originally aired on March 11, 2019. It was produced by Dan Pashman, Anne Saini, Ngofeen Mputubwele, Gianna Palmer, Jared O’Connell, and Harry Wood. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

29 Jan 202428min

Today on Deep Dish, Sohla and Ham explore the history of Korea through the story of a rice cake. Tteokbokki (Korean rice cakes) are as popular in Korea as hot dogs are in the U.S. Ji Hye Kim, the chef and owner of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan, fell in love with tteokbokki as a kid in South Korea. When she moved to Michigan, her attempt to recreate a taste of home led her to tteokbokki’s surprising history as a delicacy of the royal court. Hear how Ji Hye reclaimed this beloved dish, and make sure you listen all the way to the end of the episode to hear Sohla cook up tteokbokki with a twist. You can find that recipe on Sohla’s Instagram. Deep Dish is a production of The Sporkful. The team includes Sohla El-Waylly, Ham El-Waylly, Andres O’Hara, Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell, with additional editing by Kameel Stanley and Josh Richmond. Original theme music by Casey Holford.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

25 Jan 202437min

Introducing Deep Dish, a new podcast from The Sporkful hosted by Sohla and Ham El-Waylly! Sohla and Ham are chefs, recipe developers, YouTube stars — and they’re married. In each episode, Sohla and Ham uncover the surprising story behind a dish, then go back to their kitchen to see what they’re inspired to cook up. All episodes of Deep Dish will run here in The Sporkful feed.In this first episode, Sohla and Ham dive into the story of Delta tamales. When Detective Charles Sledge answered a call about a fatal car crash on a highway in Mississippi, he had no idea it would set him on a path to becoming the Tamale King, helping to preserve a type of tamale unique to the Mississippi Delta. Listen all the way to the end to hear Ham create a recipe inspired by Delta tamales, which you can find on Instagram. Deep Dish is a production of The Sporkful. The team includes Sohla El-Waylly, Ham El-Waylly, Andres O’Hara, Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell, with additional editing on this episode by Kameel Stanley and Josh Richmond. Original theme music by Casey Holford.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

22 Jan 202431min

Over the past few years there has been an explosion in new products in grocery stores, from barbecue sauces to nut butters to seltzers. Big brands have dominated the shelves for decades, but small startups have elbowed their way in thanks to a surprising strategy, which reveals something about how supermarkets actually make money. Dan goes to a grocery store with John Stanton, a professor at St. Joseph’s University, to see this battle for shelf space in action. Then he talks with Steven Vigilante of the beverage brand Olipop about how the little guys are fighting against the established brands. The Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell, with editing this week by Kameel Stanley.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

15 Jan 202434min

Ben Abbott wants to pair his meals with drinks, but as a Mormon, he doesn't drink alcohol. So Dan journeys to Galco’s Soda Pop Stop, an offbeat soda shop in Los Angeles, to find Ben some beverages. Plus, linguist John McWhorter explains why some people say soda, coke, or pop.This episode originally aired on January 21, 2015, and again on March 25, 2019. It was produced by Dan Pashman, Anne Saini, Ngofeen Mputubwele, Gianna Palmer, and Jared O’Connell. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell.Every other Friday, we reach into our deep freezer and reheat an episode to serve up to you. We're calling these our Reheats. If you have a show you want reheated, send us an email or voice memo at hello@sporkful.com, and include your name, your location, which episode, and why.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

12 Jan 202426min

The most common New Year’s resolution Americans make is to lose weight. For many years, that was Aubrey Gordon’s resolution, too. But one conversation with a friend led Aubrey to rethink the way we talk about fat people and weight loss. Now, as a fat activist, Aubrey writes about anti-fat bias and the physical and emotional realities of being a fat person in the world. This week she tells us why she went from writing anonymously on her blog Your Fat Friend to going public in 2020. Aubrey also pushes back on the idea of an “obesity epidemic” and argues that drugs like Ozempic are worsening anti-fat bias — both topics that she’s covered on her podcast Maintenance Phase.Please note: This episode contains discussion of body image, weight loss, and eating disorders. If you or someone you know are affected by an eating disorder, get more information from the National Eating Disorders Association online or by calling their helpline: 800-931-2237.The Sporkful production team includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Nora Ritchie, and Jared O'Connell, with production this week by Grace Rubin.Transcript available at www.sporkful.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

8 Jan 202440min