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Dan seeks inspiration for the design of his new pasta shape, a process that includes an epic pasta tasting and a chat with an architect who points him to a very radical concept. But after a meeting with a pasta maker, Dan learns exactly how much these big ideas will cost him. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Spaghetti doesn’t hold sauce. Angel hair goes from zero to mush. Wagon wheels are gimmicks. These are just a few of Dan’s many frustrations with classic pasta shapes. Three years ago he set out to do better when he embarked on a quest to invent a new pasta shape, actually get it made, and actually sell it. And things have not gone as planned. Starting today, we’re telling the story of Dan’s quest in a five-part series; part 2 is also up now. Will the world have a new pasta shape? Or will Dan’s dreams fall as flat as an overcooked rigatoni? // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

For the last three years, Dan has been on a quest to invent a new pasta shape, actually get it made, and actually sell it. And things have not gone as planned. Starting this Monday, March 1, we’re telling the story of this quest in a five-part series.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Putting our own homemade vodka to the test... Dan’s friend Alex Goldmark insists that cheap vodka makes his face turn red; Dan doesn’t believe him, because Dan thinks all vodka is the same. We team up with NPR’s Planet Money, where Alex happens to be the senior supervising producer, to settle this debate once and for all. Along the way we visit a vodka distillery, learn about the origins of Grey Goose, and make our own vodka. Then these two guys walk into a bar, and try to cause an allergic reaction. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

It’s not for foodies, it’s for lovers… Could listening to The Sporkful be the fertile soil out of which true love grows? We put out the call for Sporkful listeners looking for love, and hundreds of you responded. This week, we listen in on two blind Zoom dates that resulted from our extremely unscientific matchmaking. Is The Sporkful enough of a spark to ignite a grease fire of passion for two eaters? Or will these dates turn as cold as take-out fries?// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Cauliflower rice biryani anyone?… When Kumail Nanjiani was cast as a Marvel superhero, he decided to transform his body. Gone was the guy who played a schlubby coder on Silicon Valley — Kumail got jacked. To many of his fans, and to anyone who heard him wax poetic about his favorite foods on The Sporkful four years ago, this change was shocking. But has Kumail himself changed? This week he returns, now with his creative partner and wife Emily V. Gordon. They discuss the surprising ways their relationship to food has evolved since Kumail got ripped — and since the pandemic hit. Plus, they break down their quarantine take-out game, discuss the backlash to their eat cauliflower rice biryani, and unpack some of their body image issues.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Plus, a surprising new update… Do you drink a Guinness on St. Patrick's Day, even though you're not Irish? Do you eat chips and salsa on Cinco de Mayo, even though you're not Mexican? Here at Sporkful HQ, we sure do. When one culture's holiday becomes everyone's excuse to party, what's gained and what's lost? And how does it feel when it's your holiday? A few years back Dan found out, when he went to a Chinese New Year party with no Chinese people, then attended a “Gentile Passover” seder, where he was the only Jewish person. Plus he talked with comedian Jenny Yang, who went to a Lunar New Year celebration at Disneyland. We replay those conversations, then check back in with the hosts of “Gentile Passover” for a surprising update. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Three personal stories about an overlooked problem…Public discussions about eating disorders tend to focus on women, and in the past, so have our episodes on the subject. But millions of men also struggle with some form of disordered eating, though they’re far less likely to be diagnosed or to seek treatment. Today we hear stories from three men—in three different stages of life—who have complicated relationships with food. The common thread? All three of them want to share their experiences so that other men who are struggling don’t feel so alone. We also talk with Dr. Roberto Olivardia, an eating disorder expert, about why men don’t seek help and how diet culture affects them.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

And why hunger in America became partisan… When Julián Castro sought the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, he made hunger one of his key campaign issues. The former HUD secretary and San Antonio mayor joins us to discuss food policy, the power and limitations of boycotts, and what he thinks will be different under President Biden. But first: Secretary Castro gets the true Sporkful treatment when he and Dan discuss his DIY iced tea sweetener, his favorite hot sauce, and the politics of sharing nachos.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

The laws of gastrophysics at work… How do background music, the shape of a spoon, and your DNA affect your taste? These are just a few of the questions that psychologist Charles Spence looks at in his research in the emerging field of gastrophysics. This week, we talk with Charles about the hidden factors that influence our eating experience. Then, Dan and his daughter Becky put the gastrophysicist’s theories to the test at a neighborhood ice cream stand. The results of their homespun experiment may surprise you!// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

And the importance of representation in food photography… Elle Simone Scott once said that a food stylist’s job is to tell the story of the food — and in her work on shows for Bravo, Food Network, and America’s Test Kitchen, she’s gone to great lengths to do just that. Combing through boxes of cereal for the best-looking cornflakes? Check. Throwing ice cubes across the room to capture the perfect splash? No problem. Elle joins us to share some food styling secrets — and gets real about her background in social work, why representation matters in food photography, and her ongoing battle with cancer. She also tells us about her new America’s Test Kitchen podcast, The Walk-In.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

What foods do Sporkful listeners resolve to eat more of in the new year, and why? And what’s Dan’s New Year’s food resolution for 2021? All is revealed in this annual tradition. Plus we replay one of our favorite episodes of the year… Earlier this year (before Covid), Sotheby’s put a trove of Georgia O'Keeffe items up for sale. It included documents that were far less valuable than her paintings, but to us, much more exciting: O'Keeffe's box of grease-stained, handwritten recipes. Dan goes to see the recipes himself and talks with art experts to find out what the recipes say about the artist.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Our gift recommendations…Fruitcake has long been the butt of jokes, an inedible brick that people receive around Christmas, don’t eat, then regift the next year. But it’s also been a beloved baked good for generations. And one of the most famous is Jane Parker Fruit Cake. Jane Parker was the private label brand of supermarket chain A&P. But when A&P went bankrupt, this beloved fruitcake was nearly lost to history. We talk to the two brothers in New York City who rescued it. Also, we talk with Nikita Richardson, senior staff editor at New York Times Food, about her favorite gift ideas. Plus, Team Sporkful offers their own recommendations for the holidays! For links to all the products mentioned on the show, head over to sporkful.com. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Do roses really smell like poo-poo-oo?... From tortilla chips to tree bark, from fancy cheese to toe cheese, there’s a world of smells all around us that tell us a lot about food, drink, and everything else. So says legendary food scientist Harold McGee in his new book, Nose Dive: A Field Guide to the World’s Smells. Harold joins us to explain the connection between wet dog smell and fermented cabbage, and why we should have more “smell empathy” for others. Then we chat with Nik Sharma, whose new cookbook, The Flavor Equation, lays out the six components of flavor: aroma, sight, taste, emotion, sound, and mouthfeel. Why does tomato juice taste better on an airplane? Nik explains. Plus, Dan and Nik bond over their potato chip selection strategy.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Plus, dishing on Patrick Stewart’s weird lunches… You may think you know LeVar Burton. After starring in the seminal 1977 mini-series "Roots," he hosted "Reading Rainbow" and starred alongside Sir Patrick Stewart on "Star Trek: The Next Generation." These days he hosts the podcast "LeVar Burton Reads," where he reads his favorite short fiction. But did you know that, as a teenager, LeVar bought steaks and lobsters that “fell off the back of a truck” and brought them home to his mom? Or that he’s very particular about his PB&J sandwiches? In this episode, LeVar dishes on Sir Patrick Stewart’s weird lunches on the "Star Trek" set, and shares his favorite children's books about food. And as proof that he can make anything he reads sound amazing, LeVar favors us with dramatic readings of recipes. // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Bryan Washington on how meals can fill silence… In Bryan Washington’s acclaimed debut novel, Memorial, Benson and Mike, a couple living in Houston, are going through a rocky patch in their relationship. Mike leaves to take care of his sick father in Osaka, just as his mother comes from Osaka to visit — which leaves her stuck with Benson instead. Each character’s personal progression unfolds alongside their changing approaches to food and cooking. But like a recipe that keeps evolving, the story resists simple answers. In this episode, Bryan explains why he finds food such a useful literary tool, and how its role in his characters’ lives mimics its role in his own. He also reads from two of his non-fiction essays from The New Yorker: “Bread Pudding and the Comforts of Queer Baking” and “An Adopted Obsession with Soondubu Jjigae, Korean Silken-Tofu Stew.”// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Why Tex-Mex is just as legit as Mexican food…José Ralat’s job at Texas Monthly magazine is so unique that when he got it last year, it made national news. One headline read: “The Job You Wish You Had: Taco Editor.” Yes, taco editor. And this fall the magazine is releasing its special Taco Issue, which only comes out once every five years. José has traveled more than 10,000 miles around the state eating tacos in preparation for it. In this week’s podcast, we tag along as he hits the road in search of the best that Texas has to offer. Plus he explains why Tex-Mex deserves more respect, and why America’s regional tacos are just as legit as Mexico’s. Buckle up! // Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Listeners call in with food issues… The perimeter of a jelly donut is devoid of fruity goodness, while the epicenter is a blob of jelly mess, says listener Larry in New York. Dan thinks he has the solution. Barbara and Bruce clash over how to dissect a corn muffin. Can they find muffin peace in their marriage? Plus, Matt calls in to talk about pancake toppings, then realizes his issues run much deeper. It’s been a long week. Join us for a break!// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

Is the ideal cookie chewy, crispy, or crunchy?... Earlier this year, “Salt Fat Acid Heat” author Samin Nosrat and “Song Exploder” podcast host Hrishikesh Hirway teamed up to create “Home Cooking,” a podcast where they answer listeners’ cooking questions, make lots of bad puns, and share their passion for cookies, among other foods. They join Dan this week and accept a challenge: How much time can the three of them spend analyzing the most minute details of cookies? Plus, Dan and Samin resolve their olive beef. This week is heavy enough — we’re going for pure escapism.// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.

And why some make the transition faster than others….Over the years on The Sporkful, Dan has explored an idea that’s changed the way he understands food in the U.S.: You can track an immigrant group’s assimilation in America by looking at whether their food is perceived as American, or foreign. Why is pizza accepted as American, while wonton soup is considered foreign — even though Chinese immigrants came to America in large numbers before Italian immigrants? This week we continue to explore this question with Professor Krishnendu Ray, who first explained this concept on our show, as well as chef and recipe developer Yewande Komolafe, and cookbook authors Madhur Jaffrey and Priya Krishna. Show Notes: Krishnendu Ray’s book The Ethnic Restaurateur Yewande Komolafe’s “10 Essential Nigerian Recipes” Sporkful Episode “Why Hibachi Is Complicated” (Stitcher Premium) Sporkful Episode “When Will Indian Food Be American?” (Stitcher Premium)// Get 500+ more great Sporkful episodes from our catalog and lots of other Stitcher goodness when you sign up for Stitcher Premium: www.StitcherPremium.com/Sporkful (promo code: SPORKFUL). Transcript available at www.sporkful.com.