logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2016
40m 36s

Kombucha Culture

Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
About this episode
If you haven’t tasted kombucha yet, you probably will soon. The sour-sweet, fizzy, fermented tea is becoming ubiquitous in trendy cafes, workplaces, and health food stores across America. Where did it come from, and how did it get so popular? And what in the world is the slimy, beige blob that produces it? From German POWs to Lindsey Lohan to a kombucha zoo ... Show More
Up next
Jun 9
What the Shell? Cracking the Lobster's Mysteries
Consider the lobster roll: tender chunks of lobster bathed in butter or mayo, sandwiched between two slices of a squishy bread roll… Have we caught your attention yet? Lobster is a summertime staple in New England, a fixture on casino and cruise ship buffets, and a steady partner ... Show More
44m 2s
May 19
A Dog's Dinner: What Should We Really Be Feeding Our Pets?
In millions of homes, humans aren’t the only creatures sitting down to dinner. So what's on the menu for pets—and what impact does it have on their health, as well as the environment? This episode, we go back thousands of years to figure out what our first furry friends ate, how ... Show More
50m 3s
May 5
Feel the Beet: The Most Fascinating Woman You've Never Heard Of
For those who like its earthy flavor, the humble beet can do a lot for a salad or a soup. But could it help end slavery? In the 1800s, one woman believed it could—and she wasn't just any old woman. This episode, meet Lydia Maria Child, who wrote the first children's periodical ma ... Show More
44m 52s
Recommended Episodes
Nov 2020
SYSK Selects: How Tea Works
<p>Legend has it that tea was discovered by a curious Chinese emperor after leaves blew into his boiled water. Now tea is the second only to water in popularity worldwide. And despite the varieties of tea, they all come from a single species of plant. Learn all about it in this c ... Show More
51m 51s
Apr 2020
How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist & How Coffee Became the World’s Beverage
You know you shouldn’t go food shopping when you are hungry because you will end up buying more junk food. It turns out that when you are hungry, you shouldn’t go shopping for ANYTHING – not just food. Listen as I explain why. http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/default/a499 ... Show More
48m 13s
Nov 2021
#47. Chic des plantes ! des infusions bio, françaises et cool
L’art de rendre un produit du quotidien légèrement désuet et un peu ennuyeux en un moment de détente absolu et de cool attitude, c’est celui de Corinne Lacoste. Cette femme hyperactive a eu mille vies. Auteure, journaliste, vétérinaire et j’en passe, elle a décidé en 2015 de rend ... Show More
33m 41s
Sep 2023
Gustology (TASTE) with Gary Beauchamp
<p>Sweet! Salty! Umami? What’s up with MSG? Why do you like your coffee black? Come down to flavortown and let’s talk tongues. Gustologist Dr. Gary Beauchamp is a chemosensory scientist and an expert in taste. We chat about tastebud flim-flam, celebrity grade hot wings, MSG resea ... Show More
1h 10m
Mar 2022
SYSK Choice: How to Think Like a Rocket Scientist & How Coffee Became Our Favorite Drink
Everyone knows not to go grocery shopping when you are hungry because you will likely buy junk you don’t need. Actually, it turns out you shouldn’t do ANY kind of shopping when you are hungry. This episode begins with the reason why. http://www.womansday.com/life/work-money/defau ... Show More
47m 49s
May 2024
Coffee
A herder in 9th century Ethiopia discovers a stimulating plant, after observing his goats behaving strangely. The pope weighs in on whether a bitter new beverage really was invented by Satan. A stall selling hot drinks takes 1650s London by storm. And drinking coffee becomes a de ... Show More
35m 25s
Oct 2016
The Amazing History of Soda
<p>The soda we get instantly mixed at a fast-food joint owes a lot to a rich history going back to the Roman baths, that features drugs, diseases and explosions. Learn all about soda and soda fountains in this surprisingly interesting episode.</p><p> </p> Learn more about your ad ... Show More
47m 48s
Sep 2023
What’s The Cultural History Of The Calorie? with Dr. Athia N. Choudhury
What’s in a calorie? So much more than what you see on a box of cereal or a restaurant menu. The story of the nutritional calorie is the story of U.S. empire, dating back to the late 1800s when government agencies used it to determine just how little they could feed people in the ... Show More
1h 12m