Burnt Toast

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. Feel free to pause, jump back, or navigate the steps via the podcast chapters (if you're in Apple Podcasts, swipe up on the episode player page—the podcast chapters will be at the bottom).  If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below (Anthony starts listing them at 2:16) before starting the episode.Onion & Olive Breadmakes 1 (12-by-16-inch) pan pizzaSicilian grandma dough900 grams high-protein flour100 grams whole-grain flour, preferably freshly milled30 grams sea salt720 grams (3 cups) water, at 65°F (18°C)100 grams starter (3 to 5 hours after feeding it at room temperature), or see note about using pre-ferment60 grams extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for oiling the pansOnion & olive bread45 grams green Castelvetrano olives, pitted and sliced (about 8 olives)44 grams Taggiasca olives, pitted and sliced (about 23 olives)45 grams red onion, thinly sliced (about 1/4 medium)12" round pan or 1 half sheet pan (900 grams) Sicilian Grandma Dough40 grams (3 tablespoons) extra-virgin olive oilLarge flake or coarse sea salt for garnishSicilian grandma doughSicilian grandma doughWeigh all the ingredients in separate containers. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flours and salt and mix thoroughly with clean hands.In another large mixing bowl, combine the water and starter.Create a crater in the flour and pour the liquids in the center.Begin mixing with your dominant hand. Start in the center of the bowl and mix in a clockwise fashion until the dough comes together, at this point add 60 grams of olive oil and continue to mix until the dough is fully incorporated. Stop mixing, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and set aside for 30 to 45 minutes.Perform a series of stretch and folds by stretching and folding the dough onto itself for about 6 minutes.Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled container with a lid (or a bowl tightly covered with plastic wrap) and let it rest at room temperature. Stretch and fold the dough for 1 minute every 30 minutes for 3 hours (six times).Rest at room temperature (covered) for 30 minutes.Using about 40 grams of olive oil, lightly oil two or three baking pans.Lightly flour your hands, and using a dough cutter and scale, portion then shape the dough (three 700-gram or two 900-gram pieces) into rectangles by folding the edges into themselves.Transfer each dough to the center of a pre-oiled baking pan. Cover each pan with plastic wrap and allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.Lift the dough and press out any air from the bottom of the pan. Carefully stretch the dough to the pan's edges. Using your fingertips, gently dimple the entire length of the dough. Place the onions and olives onto the dough and very gently press until they sink in the dough. Cover and let proof at room temperature for 6-12 hours or until the dough has doubled in size.Onion & olive breadPreheat the oven with pizza stones to 475°F (250°C).Drizzle some olive oil on top of the dough and sprinkle with a few pinches of salt, if desired.Put the pan in the oven directly on the stone, and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden brown.Remove the pizza from the pan with an offset spatula and transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before cutting.Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com.Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. RecipeServes 24CakeUnsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray2 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon kosher salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg2 cups packed dark brown sugar1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and cooled1 cup canola oil4 large eggs1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract1 teaspoon pure almond extract4 cups chopped peeled apples (about 3 large; I like amix of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious)Glaze4 tablespoons (1⁄2 stick) unsalted butter3⁄4 cup confectioners’ sugar2 tablespoons maple syrup1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon1⁄4 teaspoon kosher salt1 tablespoon whole milkMake the cake: Preheat the oven to 325°F with a rack in the center position. Grease a sheet pan with butter.In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, melted butter, and oil until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and whisk well to combine.Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until the dough just comes together. Fold in the apples until evenly distributed.Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly to the corners with a large offset spatula. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the cake is deeply golden and the edges just start to pull away from the sides of the pan. Set the sheet pan on a wire rack and let the cake cool for 20 to 25 minutesMake the glaze: Melt the butter in a small pot over medium heat. Cook, stirring often with a rubber spatula, until the butter turns a toasted, amber color (it will bubble and spit; when it quiets down, check for browning). Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, cinnamon, salt, and milk until smooth.Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake. Let set for 5 minutes.Slice the cake into pieces and serve. The cake is best the day it’s made, but will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.Recipe reprinted with permission from Sheet Pan Sweets by Molly Gilbert (‎Union Square & Co., October 2022). Photography by Dana Gallagher.Is there a recipe you'd like to hear us make? Tell us all about it at podcasts@food52.com!Lobby Time Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Referenced in this episode Simply Genius CookbookTara O'Brady's Genius Chocolate Chip CookiesTara O'Brady on SubstackGenius-Hunter Extra CreditTara O'Brady's WebsiteTara O'Brady's Instagram

eferenced in this episode Simply Genius CookbookHeidi Swanson's Genius 5-Minute Tomato SauceHave a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.Theme Music by The Cabinetmaker on Blue Dot Sessions

In French, "jolie laide" means "pretty and ugly"; it's a way to describe something that is unconventionally beautiful. This homage to jolie laide foods will explore the idea that deliciousness can come where you least expect it, from misshapen fish meatballs to organ meat that only a zombie could love. Some consumers may fall for the illusion of perfection, but companies such as UglyRipe and Imperfect Produce have made a point of promoting flavor over façade. (Bruised tomatoes may not be the most slightly, but they make a great sauce!) We'll examine the notion of perfection of taste vs. perfection of image

How, exactly, you grow a gourd larger than a living room, and more importantly—why. 

The banana peel is so synonymous with slipperiness that we know how this joke ends right when it starts—why? And why a banana? We trace down the origins of the gag, and land in a surprising place.

After our episode about the vintage rotisserie machine that still has a cult following, we received an email from the son-in-law of the inventor, Leon Klinghoffer. Today’s episode is his story.

One presidential term goes down in history as serving borderline inedible food to the thousands of guests who dined there. What was on the menu, who was responsible, and the revenge theory behind it all. This episode of Burnt Toast was produced by Gabrielle Lewis and Kenzi Wilbur. Thanks also to Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, the founders of Food52— and to Laura Mayer and Andy Bowers at Panoply. Our ad and theme music is by Joshua Rule Dobson; All other music in this episode is by Blue Dot Sessions. Our logo is designed by Abbey Lossing. Please let us know what you think of the show—leave us a review on iTunes. Or get in touch: You can email us at burnttoast@food52.com.

We talk to Professor Charles Spence about the science behind how what you hear when you eat affects the whole multi-sensory experience.

This countertop rotisserie has a lively cult following for producing the juiciest, spit-roasted birds. Our reason to be suspicious? It was made in the 1950s. We put one to the test to find out if this machine *really* makes the best chicken,

We ask—and then we try to change emoji history. Learn how an emoji gets made as we submit our pie emoji proposal to Unicode.

We track down the composer of one of the catchiest jingles of all time—the jingle that opened new factories it was so popular—to learn its surprising origin story. 

We speak with Bee Wilson to follow the curious, contentious history of margarine back to its first invention. Turns out, we have Napoleon III to thank. 

The banana peel is so synonymous with slipperiness that we know how this joke ends right when it starts—why? And why a banana? We trace down the origins of the gag, and land in a surprising place.

Today we dedicate our whole episode to a roundtable on meal planning: Amanda, Merrill, and Kenzi answer questions from our staff and community about how to cook smarter every week. Highlights include refrigerator graveyards, condiment guilt, and why avocado toast is a little like comfortable underwear.   This episode of Burnt Toast is sponsored by Casper. Get $50 toward any mattress purchase by visiting www.casper.com/TOAST, and using promo code TOAST. 

We invite Doug Quint and Bryan Petroff of Big Gay Ice Cream into the studio to talk about summer’s favorite frozen dessert. There are no boundaries: We discuss bedazzled unicorns, magnums, beet soft serve, and—for a little light hazing—we have Doug taste test some classic Good Humor ice cream treats.    Burnt Toast is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron is the new service that delivers all the ingredients you need to make incredible meals at home. Discover a better way to cook. Visit BlueApron.com/TOAST to get your first two meals free today.

Even when it's leftover pizza or takeout from down the block. We talk to book seller and author of Lunch at the Shop Peter Miller about the midday meal: Why we should always break for it, the simple ways to make it better, and how to make our new favorite of his recipes, Pizza Soup. (You're going to want to hear this.) 

This week, we talk to NY Mag food critic Adam Platt about criticism in an age that makes it easy for everyone with an internet connection to be a reviewer. Listen in for some salty conversation, his live evaluation of some food in the studio, and—because we couldn’t help it—a dramatic Yelp reading or two.      Burnt Toast is brought to you by Blue Apron. Blue Apron is the new service that delivers all the ingredients you need to make incredible meals at home. Discover a better way to cook. Visit BlueApron.com/TOAST to get your first two meals free. BlueApron.com/TOAST

We invite food writer and coffee expert Oliver Strand—and our very own Michael Hoffman—into the studio to talk coffee. After we make sure we’re caffeinated, we discuss specialty coffee, coffee snobbery, and cup some McCafe, just for fun.