It’s the poshest spice of all, often worth its weight in gold. But saffron also has a hidden history as a dye, a luxury self-tanner, and even a serotonin stimulant. That’s right, this episode we’re all about those fragile red threads plucked from the center of a purple crocus flower. Listen in as we visit a secret saffron field to discover why it’s so expens ... Show More
Jun 24
Ask Gastropod: Bubblegum, Meal Kits, and the Real Truth About Rooibos
What do bubblegum, rooibos tea, and meal kits have in common? They’re all topics that puzzle and fascinate you, dear Gastropod listeners. This episode, we're getting to the bottom of your most pressing culinary questions! Such as: Are meal kits really better for the planet than b ... Show More
50m 13s
May 2021
Pourquoi le safran est-il aussi cher ?
Le safran est une épice extraite de la fleur d’un crocus. On l’obtient par déshydratation de ses trois stigmates rouges. Il est originaire du Moyen-Orient, plus particulièrement de l’Iran, et fut cultivé pour la première fois dans les provinces grecques, par la civilisation minoe ... Show More
1m 59s
May 2021
Adam Rogers, "Full Spectrum: How the Science of Color Made Us Modern" (Houghton Mifflin, 2021)
From kelly green to millennial pink, our world is graced with a richness of colors. But our human-made colors haven’t always matched nature’s kaleidoscopic array. To reach those brightest heights required millennia of remarkable innovation and a fascinating exchange of ideas betw ... Show More
1h 23m
Apr 2015
Episode 203: The Middle Eastern Roots of Spices and the Early Globalization of Food
On this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio takes listeners on a vivid and far-ranging journey across time and space on the ancient spice trades with Dr. Gary Nabhan. Talking about his new book, “Cumin, Camels, and Caravans, A Spice Odyssey,” Gary draws on ... Show More
30m 2s
Jun 2023
Frontiers of Food Science: Do Sound and Color Affect Flavor?
Experimental psychologist Charles Spence introduces us to gastrophysics, the science of how the brain melds color, smell and sound to create powerful multisensory taste experiences. Plus, Nicola Twilley investigates the rise of alternative sugars; Alex Aïnouz goes on a hunt for t ... Show More
51m 4s
May 2021
147 | Rachel Laudan on Cuisine, Culture, and Empire
For as much as people talk about food, a good case can be made that we don’t give it the attention or respect it actually deserves. Food is central to human life, and how we go about the process of creating and consuming it — from agriculture to distribution to cooking to dining ... Show More
1h 16m