Claim OwnershipChristopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio
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Every week, Milk Street Radio travels the world to find the most fascinating stories about food—a detective who tracks down food thieves and a look inside the most famous (and often scandalous) restaurant kitchens—and interviews with culinary icons such as José Andrés, Padma Lakshmi, Jacques Pépin, and Marcus Samuelsson. And on Milk Street Radio you can always find the unexpected: the comedian who ranks apples using an elaborate 100-point system, the scientists who study if vegetables have souls, and the journalist who reveals the world’s 10 biggest food lies. We also answer our listeners’ cooking questions, find out how to make the perfect cup of coffee, and share how to eat your way through Italy.
513 Episodes
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Carlos Rafael ran one of the biggest fishing operations in New England. He was successful. Almost too successful. Probably because his seafood empire was built through fraud. This week, reporter Ian Coss brings us to the story of The Codfather. Plus, Natasha Pickowicz invites everyone to hot pot, and Christopher Kimball and Sara Moulton answer your questions on Norwegian pancakes, Julia Child’s Gâteau de Crêpes, and more.Want to hot pot at home? Get the blog post featuring Natasha's equipment recommendations and shopping guide here.Listen to Catching the Codfather on the Big Dig Podcast from GBH here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Something surprising happened earlier this month: Five intrepid journalists brought Gourmet magazine back from the dead after they discovered Condé Nast let its trademark lapse. This week, we revisit our episode from 2019 with Gourmet’s final editor-in-chief, Ruth Reichl. She shares stories about the magazine’s glory days, its final days, and the perks of being an editor in the golden age of publishing. Plus, Vicky Bennison takes us behind the scenes of Pasta Grannies, her YouTube channel that documents Italian grandmothers making pasta the old-fashioned way; we get lessons in hotel room cooking from Alex Aïnouz; and we make Mini Almond Cakes with Spiced Chocolate. (Originally aired May 17, 2019.)Get the recipe for Mini Almond Cakes with Spiced Chocolate here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
For a throwback, we’re looking back at one of our all-time favorite episodes—our science episode from 2020. We chat with flavor chemist Dr. Arielle Johnson about how to eat a tree, how insects use flavor molecules to communicate and the science of taste and smell. Plus, Meathead teaches us how to grill perfect steaks; J. Kenji López-Alt investigates food expiration dates; and we make a no-fuss, all-flavor Spanish Almond Cake.Get the recipe for Spanish Almond Cake here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Photographer Riley Arthur reports on a New York City icon: the old-fashioned diner. She goes beyond the club sandwiches and coffee to reveal the mob meetings, FBI stings and dramatic family moments that happen within a diner’s walls. Then, author Julia O’Malley provides a true taste of Alaskan cuisine, where stolen peaches, fresh caught salmon and boxed chocolate cake all are served at the same table. Plus, Adam Gopnik travels back in time to visit the New York restaurant scene of the 1980s.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Are humans the only species that loves sour? Does everyone taste bitter the same way? And could there be flavors we can’t even comprehend yet? Emily Kwong and Aaron Scott from NPR’s “Short Wave” join us to explore the amazing science of taste, from the mysteries of salt to why dolphins can’t taste sweet. Plus, chef Khánh-Ly Huynh shares Vietnamese street food from Paris; Adam Gopnik investigates what it takes to become a culinary maestro; and we go to Bangkok for Thai Cashew Chicken. (Originally aired March 23rd, 2023.)Get the recipe for Thai Cashew Chicken here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
This week we ask: What will be the hottest food trend of 2026? Kim Severson returns with her predictions for the year ahead, where grandmothers, vinegar, and ASMR will reign supreme. We also get caught up on the latest in food lingo — "swangy" is the new flavor to watch out for. Plus, author Sho Spaeth gives us a lesson in homemade ramen and John T. Edge reckons with life, legacy and food in the American South. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Author Kate Lebo introduces us to the world of rare fruits that are hard to find, harvest, prepare or just plain love. Plus, we study the staples of Gabonese cooking with chef Anto Cocagne, we get a lesson in the language of bread from Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette, and we learn about the history of Hungarian Chicken Paprikash.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
It’s time to look back at some of our favorite moments from 2025. There are the interviews that shocked us — from brand new theories of stomach intelligence to Pete Well’s harshest restaurant review — as well as expert cooking tips shared by the likes of Samin Nosrat and Lidia Bastianich. Plus, we revisit a few unforgettable listener calls and Christopher Kimball and Adam Gopnik present their favorite books of the year.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at “The Recipe with Kenji and Deb.” Chris joined Kenji López-Alt and Deb Perelman to talk about their ideal recipe for French Toast. They banter about bread for longer than any podcast ever has (not fact checked) – and how each of them perfects this classic breakfast dish.Get the recipe for French Toasted, Perfected here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
This week, we visit Belgium for holiday baking and festivities with Regula Ysewijn. Plus, we learn about a Welsh tradition that happens on the darkest days of winter, our friends from “A Way with Words” teach us old holiday drinking songs, we make Czech-style kolaches (a sweet cheese- and jam-filled pastry), and Cheryl Day returns to take your baking calls.Get this week’s recipe for Kolaches here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at Tough Cookie: The Wally ”Famous“ Amos Story.Meet Wally Amos. He founded the ubiquitous Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies in 1975, turning the brand into an overnight sensation and himself into a pop-culture fixture in the 1970s and 1980s. But there’s a darker side to Wally’s seemingly sweet story. One filled with five marriages to six women and a string of bad business decisions that led him to lose the empire he had created. When he passed away in 2024, host Sarah Amos set out to untangle her father’s complicated past and finally face the life and legacy she had been avoiding.
We answer your calls with Vaughn Vreeland (of New York Times Cookie Week fame) to help you bake the best cookies of the season; historian Pen Vogler breaks down classic Christmas dishes featured in Charles Dickens’ stories, from turkey to plum pudding; author Kat Lieu shares her recipe for Old-Fashioned Cantonese Shortbread; and reporter Mackenzie Martin shares the true story of a Wisconsin holiday tradition, the wildcat sandwich.Get Kat Lieu’s recipe for Old-Fashioned Cantonese Shortbread here. Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Author Aleksandra Crapanzano uncovers the rich history of chocolate—from black markets to murder in the church, people have stopped at nothing to procure this luxurious ingredient. Plus, record producer David Katznelson plays us some drinking songs; Alex Aïnouz masters the art of stock; and we whip up a Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream and Almond Praline.Get our recipe for Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream and Almond Praline here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Milk Street's 10th anniversary is right around the corner! To celebrate, we're revisiting our favorite moments, starting with this week’s episode featuring the very first appearance of regular contributor Alex Aïnouz. On YouTube, Alex is known for his mad scientist experiments, from his million-layer puff pastry to his quest for the perfect French omelet. Also in this episode—we hear about the amazing history of pickles; Dan Pashman takes us to Shabbat at Wendy's; and we cook chicken under a brick.Get our recipe for Chicken Under a Brick here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
1Al Roker is back on Milk Street with family recipes and television stories to share. He recalls celebrity-filled lunches at the NBC commissary and the holiday meal he dreamt of while recovering from surgery. Plus, Ben Mims reveals the secret history of cookies; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way With Words” express holiday gratitude with food-themed compliments; and we prepare Cantonese Sweet-and-Sour Pork.Get our recipe for Cantonese Sweet-and-Sour Pork here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Happy Thanksgiving! Join us for a star-studded trip down memory lane with our Thanksgiving episode from 2019! Stella Parks reveals pumpkin pie secrets and serves up a fresh twist on à la mode; Vivian Howard invites us to her kitchen for North Carolina turkey and sides; Alice Waters, Erin French, Joanne Chang, Reem Kassis and other chefs, authors and friends recount their most harrowing Thanksgiving disasters, and share their culinary wisdom and family memories; Dr. Aaron Carroll talks food safety and stuffing; we make a quick Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle; and Adam Gopnik explores the magic of leftovers.Get our recipe for Cranberry and Candied Ginger Buckle here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
How do you carve a turkey without losing the crispy skin? What kind of pie should you make if you’re sick of apple? And what’s the world’s easiest pie crust? This week, chefs Jet Tila and Dominique Ansel join Chris Kimball to answer your Thanksgiving cooking questions. Plus chef Jesse Griffiths goes hunting for wild turkeys; José Andrés, Melissa Clark, Joe Yonan and Monti Carlo reveal why they’re tired of serving the big bird (and what they’re making instead); and our friends and listeners share their most unique holiday traditions.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
We're putting the finishing touches on our 2025 Thanksgiving special, but in the meantime we have a special treat: We're re-releasing our first-ever Thanksgiving episode from 2017! Reporter Sandip Roy desperately seeks turkey in Calcutta; Kenji López-Alt reveals his secrets to make-ahead mashed potatoes; Dan Pashman spins the wheel of Thanksgiving anxiety; we find out from Dr. Aaron Carroll whether tryptophan really makes us sleepy; Adam Gopnik shares the story of his first Thanksgiving in New York City; and wine expert Stephen Meuse tells us the best wines for the season.Get our recipe for Tea-Rubbed Maple Turkey here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
Nancy Silverton is here to make you a better baker. She tells the story about the time she made Julia Child cry on TV and the very best way to make cornbread, angel food cake and more classic desserts. Plus, Joan De Jesus explains the wine world’s biggest trend right now, natural wines; J. Kenji López-Alt shares his secrets for cooking salmon at home; and we make Korean Stir-Fried Chicken with Rice.Get this week’s recipe for Korean Stir-Fried Chicken with Rice here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
In the beginning, there was the Cronut, the pastry hybrid that ushered in the era of "viral" foods. Its mass appeal wasn't all that surprising, but what about the rise of tinned fish? Reporter Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong shares the unlikely story of this humble pantry staple. Plus, chef Joshua McFadden changes the way we cook and eat pasta, and our friends from A Way With words teach us a language lesson about pumpkins.Get Joshua McFadden’s recipe for Creamy Bean Pasta Fagiole here.Listen to Milk Street Radio on: Apple Podcasts | Spotify
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I feels like he's trying to force these two things together. It doesnt come across as truthful.
I’ve been a fan of Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street Radio for a while now, and it continues to impress me with its engaging content and diverse perspectives on food. https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/donut-boxery-5797756/episodes/the-role-of-donut-boxes-in-mar-218247941
I'm here from a golf podcast.
The advertisements have increased exponentially over the last couple years. Some of them growing to a length of 5 minutes! The podcast within a podcast format it would seem.
--pasta salad is trash--
That song about drones borrowed the Instrumental intro from Would You Lay With Me in a Field of Stone.
Re: Charging dinner guests. Reallt a variation on an old theme, perhaps. "Rent parties" were a part of 20th century American life, and not just in urban African American communities, as Britannica seems to believe. They were also found in more rural areas in the Midwest and were not unknown on then-rural Long Island, NY to help a farmer thru tough times, such as drought or the Great Depression as recounted by my neighbor (b. 1900) and my dad (b.1915). https://www.britannica.com/topic/rent-party
this was published 3 days ago but it is repeat. can you please.ease.put yhe date of recording so we can tell how old it is. much appreciated
I swear I've heard this session before. How can you tell when it first aired.
FF 9
Great episode
I did not know any of that about wild rice, thanks for the info
Sarah: how many cloves of garlic will you use? caller: 3-5 Sarah: it would be better to use the whole head. *proceeds to give not very functional solution. Why would you want to use the whole head of garlic if you only need 3-5? Wouldn't that overpower any dish? Sarah does that a lot.
I love this podcast show.
A fantastic and wondrous episode. Really enjoyed it!
"Cooking is a solitary experience" I relate to this so much. I rarely cook, but when I do, it's an odd, meditative experience
"Enslaved"
Greece was so pure in the early 70's it was under a military dictatorship. There was no freedom.
I have been putting ice in my wine for years. Why? I like it. It's nice to know I am not alone.
Thank you fot the inspiring interview with Michael Twitty. (I just bought his book)