Ketchup is the crowd-pleaser of condiments—a ubiquitous accessory on dinner tables throughout the United States, and, increasingly, the world. But this kid-friendly classic actually has its roots in a much funkier food: fermented fish sauce! So how did the salty, pungent, amber-colored seasoning that gives Southeast Asian cuisine its characteristic flavor tu ... Show More
Jan 27
Ripe for Global Domination: The Story of the Avocado
We’re coming up to AvocadoFest 2026, otherwise known as the Super Bowl, when Americans get fully a fifth of their annual avocado allocation. But how did this humble fruit, originally named after testicles, get from its Mexican forest home to a tattoo on Miley Cyrus's upper arm? T ... Show More
46m 47s
Jan 13
Canned Tomatoes and the Myth of the San Marzano
Canned tomatoes are a perfect winter food. As you'll know from our tomato episode, the beautiful fruits in fresh aisle of the supermarket are mostly flavorless outside of the summer season—but the tomatoes that get packed in a can are cheap, readily available, and, most important ... Show More
50m 16s
Dec 16
Is Your Cinnamon Fake? Where Does Kefir Come From? Plus: Why Is Citric Acid In Everything? Ask Gastropod!
The season for holiday baking is upon us, and before you spice up your cookies and pies, you’ll probably want to know: is most of the cinnamon on grocery store shelves actually fake? That’s one question we’re investigating this week on behalf of you, dear listeners, in the latest ... Show More
42m 33s
Nov 2022
The Ancient -- and Surprisingly Divisive! -- Story of Ketchup
Ketchup is in almost 97% of US homes today -- and, while this statistic may sound surprising, it turns out there's a long story behind this humble condiment. In today's episode, Ben, Noel and Max trace the origin of ketchup from its ancient predecessors in Southern China and the ... Show More
56m 24s
Jul 2025
Pourquoi le Ketchup était-il utilisé au 19e siècle ?
<p>Rediffusion</p><br><p>Bien des gens accompagnent un hamburger ou des frites de ketchup. Le succès de cette sauce rouge et sucrée, dont il se vend plus de 20 bouteilles par seconde, ne se dément pas. Aux États-Unis, la quasi-totalité des Américains en consomment chaque jour.</p ... Show More
1m 58s
Jan 2019
Pourquoi “57” figure sur les bouteilles de Ketchup ?
<p>La marque Heinz représente 59 % du marché mondial du ketchup. Un produit que l’on trouve dans 97 % des foyers américains, et qui etst là-bas utilisé en moyenne pendant 10 repas par semaine, ce qui correspond à 1,3 bouteille par personne et par mois.</p><br><p>Vous le savez, il ... Show More
3m 8s
Apr 2024
A Ridiculous History of Worcestershire Sauce
It's tangy. It's salty. It's sweet. It's unctuous... but what exactly is Worcestershire sauce? Join Ben, Noel and Max on their continuing condiment journey as they explore the bizarre origin story of one of the world's most famous (and, arguably, strangest) sauces in today's epis ... Show More
42m 14s
Jun 2024
Comment est née la sauce Worcestershire ?
Indispensable dans la recette du tartare, que serait le mythique Bloody-Mary sans elle ? On l’adore ou on la déteste, son nom est impossible ou presque à prononcer mais comment est née la sauce Worcestershire ?Au départ, Worcestershire, c’est un lieu ! "Shire", ça veut dire conté ... Show More
1m 55s