• 10 BEST PODCASTS OF THE YEAR
  • New York Times
  • BEST FOOD PODCAST
  • James Beard Awards
  • Webby Awards
  • 10 BEST PODCASTS OF THE YEAR
  • New York Times
  • BEST FOOD PODCAST
  • James Beard Awards & Webby Awards

terminology

Call-In Show: Are Whoopie Pies Sandwiches?

How do you get an indecisive group to go to your preferred restaurant? Is pizza a type of flatbread? And if friends say your salsa’s too spicy, should you make milder salsa or get spicier friends?

What Is A Sandwich? (Or, John Hodgman Calls In To Leonard Lopate To Argue With Me)

Is a hot dog a sandwich? What about a burrito? This timeless debate turned especially heated when John Hodgman called in to WNYC to argue with me about it.

Ramen: Cooking Methods, Flavor Packet Usage, and The Ramen Code

Slate's L.V. Anderson joins Dan to debate ideal ramen cooking methods and to explain what curly hair can teach you about ramen. Plus Dan introduces several new techniques for ramen preparation.

Is NPR’s ‘Sandwich Monday’ Distorting the Definition of a Sandwich?

Last week's Sporkful podcast included an intense debate about the correct definition of a sandwich. Hear what both sides have to say, then let us know what you think. Does NPR's ombudsman need to know about this?

What is the True Meaning of ‘Vegetarian?’ And Does It Matter?

A listener is frustrated by people who call themselves vegetarians but still eat fish, and wants to know how to politely call such people out on it. Slate's L.V. Anderson says we shouldn't get so hung up on labels.

Is Sparkling Water Actually Water?

Water is H2O. When you add CO2 it produces carbonic acid, which accounts for seltzer's taste. At first I thought that made it something other than water, because it's not simply H2O anymore. But by that logic flavored water isn't water either. So what do you think?