logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2022
34m 29s

Mac and Cheese: From 'What's in these?' ...

American Public Media
About this episode
You might think macaroni and cheese is just a quick and easy meal, or a special dish that comes to the holiday table. But Joy and her co-host Buddy are here to tell you that macaroni and cheese is actually a pair of SUPERHEROES! We’ll trace the history of the dish back to ancient Rome, through the Elizabethan Age, and all the way to America by way of James ... Show More
Up next
Yesterday
What's the history of chocolate?
Chocolate. You know it. You love it. You can’t get enough of it. Today, we think of chocolate as a sweet treat, but for most of human history, it was actually a bitter drink. This week Joy and co-host Camila go coo-coo for cocoa history and learn how indigenous people in Mesoamer ... Show More
39 m
Oct 5
Sneak peek: The history of pineapple pizza
This is a sneak peak of a bonus episode available to Smarty Pass members. It’s a follow up to our Forever Ago episode on the history of pizza. In this one, we look at the man who made pineapple on pizza a thing. Plus, we tell the story of how pineapple pizza created drama between ... Show More
9m 7s
Sep 30
More slang words: Aura, OK and glitch
This week Joy and co-host Xenia are back with another slang episode that’s the pig’s elbow (trust us, it’s a good thing). Learn about how “aura” went from meaning a cool breeze, to getting cool points– and how one of our most common slang words started as a typo joke in a newspap ... Show More
33m 44s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2022
Episode 29: Easy Peasy Mac 'n Cheesy! (Mac 'N Cheese Snacks)
<p>Welcome to The Snack Show with Jami Fallon!<br> <br> Who knew that we could thank Thomas Jefferson and more over, his personal chef (and unfortunately, slave) James Hemings for the delicious perfected and popularized dish of macaroni and cheese? Thank you, James! Today, we spe ... Show More
32m 38s
Mar 2021
Who Invented Macaroni and Cheese?
People like pasta and people like cheese, so is there a single origin story for mac and cheese? Learn how this dish was developed in today's episode of BrainStuff. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy info ... Show More
4m 13s
May 2017
Mac 'n' Cheese
Sheila Dillon charts the rise of the humble mac'n'cheese: a dish that crosses culture and classes and has established itself as a popular comfort food across the world.We discover the history of the dish. Food historian Polly Russell tells us how a macaroni recipe first appeared ... Show More
27m 59s
Feb 2024
Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Most people are familiar with the stuff in the blue box, but what might seem like a simple dish holds many nuances, from achieving that perfectly smooth cheese melt to avoiding greasiness or lumpiness. Find out why mac and cheese holds a special place in Kenji's heart and the res ... Show More
38m 16s
Nov 2022
Baked vs. Stovetop Mac and Cheese
Today, Josh and Nicole are discussing the best way to cook mac and cheese: baked or stovetop?Leave us a voicemail at (833) DOG-POD1 
44m 37s
Jan 2025
Pasta
Pasta—a simple yet beloved staple with a history as rich as its flavors. From its ancient origins to its place at the heart of cuisines around the world, pasta tells a story of tradition, innovation, and culinary delight. How did it evolve, and what makes it such a timeless favor ... Show More
55m 2s
Sep 2024
The Ridiculous, Murky Origins of Pasta, Part One: Basic Ingredients, Delicious Results
Pasta is amazing. But where does the concept come from? In part one of this week's two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max delve into the origin of a simple series of ingredients -- and discover there's a lot more to the story.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
33 m
Mar 2025
Savor Classics: Cheese Curls (What the Puff?)
Cheetos and other cheesy puffed-corn snacks are miracles of modern science and marketing. In this classic episode, Anney and Lauren dig into the fortuitously fab history (and making of) cheese curls.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
42m 24s
Mar 2025
A Ridiculous History of Processed Cheese
Let's be honest: cheese is inherently weird. As humanity advanced, civilizations leveraged positively alchemical science to arrive at the perfect cheeseburger melt. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max explore the evolution of processed cheese -- the not-quite-cheese that change ... Show More
32m 21s
Mar 2022
S1E148 - Kapow's Power of Invention: Instant Noodles
Noodles are old and delicious. They date back many centuries to ancient China. No one is sure quite how old they are, but the earliest written record of noodles is found in a book dated almost 2000 years ago. Tune in to find out how such an old invention turned into the tasty new ... Show More
10m 39s