Savor

It's the biggest fast food chain in the world, but this behemoth has humble beginnings. In this classic episode, Anney and Lauren explore the ambitions and intrigue that made the McDonald's McEmpire what it is today.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This classic New Orleans cocktail is almost as storied as the city that created it. Anney and Lauren dip into the history of the Sazerac. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This television series and its following films feature detailed depictions of Edwardian-era dining from the perspective of both the aristocratic class and those who served them – with a dose of snark from each. Anney and Lauren explore the semi-fictional foods of ‘Downton Abbey’. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This long, skinny loaf of bread is deceptively simple and deeply loved. Anney and Lauren tear into the history and science behind the baguette. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These small utensils, most often made of disposable wood, bamboo, or plastic, find use across all kinds of hygienic and structural applications. Anney and Lauren take a stab at the history and science behind toothpicks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This one-pot, rice-based main dish has infinite iterations that all come down to comfort. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and science behind biryani. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We return once again with mail from y’all -- a set of stories perhaps not in our main timeline, but distinctly from the Savor universe, including different uses for spinach and cloves, a deeper understanding of Dade, and a debunking of a debunking. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Chalky candy hearts printed with sweet (or salty!) messages are apparently the most prolific candy of Valentine's Day. In this classic episode, Anney and Lauren explore the product's past and present, plus some of its strangest messages. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This small citrus(y) fruit can be eaten whole like a grape or cooked into sweet and savory dishes aplenty. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of kumquats. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This style of beer ekes wine-level alcohol content (and big flavors) out of malted barley. Anney and Lauren barrel right into the history and science of barley wine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This children’s fantasy franchise features food descriptions so lush that they’re one of the first things fans talk about. Anney and Lauren get caught up in the long tale of the food and drink in Brian Jacques’s ‘Redwall’ series. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This brand of kitchenware began with a burping bowl – and a party planner – but became a cultural phenomenon. Anney and Lauren break the seal on the science and history of Tupperware. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fresh, soft, cheese-adjacent product is made with milk’s whey instead of curds. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and science of ricotta. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This seafood salad has complex layers of culture and chemistry behind its simple preparation. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and science of ceviche. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fragrant fruit is color changing, makes excellent jam, and may have been the ‘golden apple’ of myth. Anney and Lauren gel up the history and science of quince. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This adaptable cocktail won't cure a cold, but it'll certainly make you feel warm and cozy. Anney and Lauren dip into the heated science and history behind the hot toddy. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These simple ground-almond candies are molded into fantastic shapes for the winter holidays and beyond. Anney and Lauren explore the history and culture of marzipan. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This canned, concentrated milk product features in lots of sweet holiday recipes today, but it was invented for survival and safety. Anney and Lauren spread it on thick with the history and science of sweetened condensed milk (plus its unsweet cousin, evaporated milk). Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The listeners speak! From delicious crêpes and breakfast poutine to divisive durian and baby corn, Anney and Lauren share your stories, recipes, memories, and reckonings. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Added flavors feature in as much as 90% of our groceries, so the science of creating them is a serious business. We unpack the difference between natural and artificial flavors and explore how some of the most famous (blue raspberry! MSG!) came to be. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This brand of recipes and food products that help out home cooks is based around a woman who never existed. Anney and Lauren explore the fictional history and very real science behind Betty Crocker. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These flat, delicate pancakes can be sweet or savory, simple or a spectacle. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of crêpes. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These diminutive ears of corn, eaten whole as a vegetable, actually are young corn cobs. Anney and Lauren hope you’ll be all ears for the history and science of baby corn. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fantastical cartoon series frequently features characters (many of whom are anthropomorphic foods) eating -- or avoiding being eaten. Anney and Lauren explore the distant lands, foods, and drinks of Adventure Time. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This North American grain is technically neither rice nor truly wild, but has been cared for and harvested by indigenous peoples for thousands of years. Anney and Lauren dip into the history and science behind wild rice. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This fruit-forward wine is released just two months after the grapes’ harvest (thanks to some specific fermentation and dissemination practices). Anney and Lauren get fresh with the history and science of Beaujolais Nouveau. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The turkey is a study in contradictions: majestic yet ridiculous, ridiculous yet aggressive, prized for feasts yet often poorly cooked, and definitely NOT from Turkey. In this classic episode, we cover everything turkey, from cooking tips to snood science. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These mollusks are prized for their delicate meat and divine shells alike. Anney and Lauren dip into the history, aquaculture, and biology of scallops. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This warm, earthy spice has made its place in comforting cuisine around the world. Anney and Lauren explore the science and history of cumin. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This hearty dish of fries topped with cheese curds and brown gravy, though once looked down upon, has earned its place as a global trend. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and culture behind poutine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This product, made of real smoke from smoldering wood, is used as a seasoning and safety measure alike. Anney and Lauren blow through the science and history of liquid smoke. (p.s. mirrors aren't liquid; glass is an amorphous solid) Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ focuses on a Victorian girl’s curiosity about (and frustration with) the absurdities of adulthood and society, often exemplified with food. Anney and Lauren discuss Lewis Carroll’s novels, and are joined by Ben Bowlin, Miranda Hawkins, and Dylan Fagan for a dramatic reading of the chapter ‘A Mad Tea-Party’. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This sometimes maligned candy is made from the fats of cacao seeds, not the solids, resulting in a subtle and smooth form of chocolate. Anney and Lauren dip into the buttery science and backwards history of white chocolate. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This versatile vegetable is used for its tasty taproot, leafy greens, and sugar production capacity. Anney and Lauren dig into the earthy history and sweet science of beets. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On film, many foods are made of non-food items and many non-food items are made of food. Movie magic! In this classic episode, we speak with special effects artist Vii Kelly about inexpensive edible gore, plus go into the history of food effects in movies and television. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This long-beloved cheese starts sweet and simple, but can be aged and smoked into a number of specific styles. Anney and Lauren explore the science and history of Gouda. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We return once again to stories from you, dear listeners! From pierogis and prosciutto to blueberries and burgers (both Bob’s and beyond), Anney and Lauren dive into the inbox -- and it will not be the last. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This herb has been used in foods, drinks, medicines, and religious practices since time immemorial. Anney and Lauren explore the science and history of rosemary. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These chocolate candies in a sugar shell have inspired colorful debate and serious science. Anney and Lauren get the history and culture of M&M’s in the bag. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This soup comes in many styles and variations, incorporating broth with beets and beyond to create a satisfying (and often slightly sour) dish. Anney and Lauren dip into the history and cultures behind borscht. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

These utensils come in all sorts of shapes, sizes, and materials specialized to the type of eating, cooking, and serving they’re intended for. Anney and Lauren dig into the history and cultures behind chopsticks. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This animated sitcom relays the (mis)adventures of the Belchers as they live and work around the titular family restaurant. Anney and Lauren explore the history, culture, and many puns of ‘Bob’s Burgers’. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Winemakers use this grape to produce soft, fruity red wines and balanced blends. Anney and Lauren dip into the science and only slightly sideways history of merlot. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This quintessential English cheese has a history cut with myth, fraud, and war. In this classic episode, Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of cheddar cheese. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.