• 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

science

How To Taste Food Like A Flavor Chemist

What are “natural flavors” and why are they shrouded in secrecy? Why doesn’t lemon-flavored seltzer contain lemon juice? A flavor chemist explains it all.

Is This Pizza Worth Waiting For?

We visit a legendary pizzeria with a famously long line, then talk to scientists to try to figure out whether waiting to eat makes our food taste better -- or worse.

Your Food Is Talking To You. What’s It Saying?

In cooking and eating, sound is the forgotten sense. But you can tell whether you're cutting scallions correctly, or how good your chocolate is, by the sounds they make.

Bathtub Vodka

Is there really a difference between cheap and expensive vodkas? We go on a mission to learn how super premium vodka is made and marketed. Then we make our own, to see how it measures up.

How To Be A Good Ice Cream Citizen

A married couple calls in for advice about the ethics of free ice cream samples, and Cooks Illustrated's Dan Souza reveals the artisanal ice cream industry's biggest secret.

Is A Takeout Burger A Lesser Burger?

Two friends call in for help settling a long-running feud, and Kenji Lopez-Alt explains the science of burgers taken to go.