logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2025
32m 21s

A Ridiculous History of Processed Cheese

iHeartPodcasts
About this episode

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 changed the world.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next
Yesterday
Ridiculous Stuff We Didn't Get To in 2026, Part Two: Apple Trees, Ice Cream Wars and Weird Nuclear Gadgets
How much do you know about the inner chaos of Carvel or Ben Cohen's quest to free Ben and Jerry's? Why are apple trees so different from one seed to the next? In the second part this special two-part series, Ben, Noel and Max explore more of the Ridiculous History they didn't get ... Show More
33m 44s
Oct 6
Ridiculous Stuff We Didn't Get To in 2026, Part One: 60 Minutes and Other Natural Wonders
Did the creators of the groundbreaking 60 Minutes show have any idea how popular they would become? What other wonders of the world need to be on that list of ancient spectacles? In the first part of this special two-part series, Ben, Noel, and Max gear up for a field trip to Ber ... Show More
36m 21s
Oct 3
"CLASSIC: Operation Northwoods: How the US Planned to Attack Itself and Start a War with Cuba"
It's no secret that the US and Cuba have a long history of tense relations, often teetering on the brink of war. But just how far would Uncle Sam go to begin a genuine war with Cuba? The answer can be found in the declassified proposals for Operation Northwoods, a secret plan to ... Show More
42m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2015
Say Cheese!
Cheese is the chameleon of the food world, as well as one of its greatest delights. Fresh and light or funky and earthy, creamy and melty or crystalline and crumbly—no other food offers such a variety of flavors and textures. But cheese is not just a treat for the palate: its dis ... Show More
56m 43s
Dec 2024
Big Parma
Stuffed crust pizza. Grilled cheese burritos. How did so much cheese get into so many things? On today's episode, we peel back the curtain on the Dairy Industrial Complex — AKA Big Parma.  * VERY SPECIAL CREDITS On the Very Special Episodes podcast, we tell one incredible story e ... Show More
40m 30s
Jan 2025
Cheddar Cheese
tail spinning
1h 5m
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
Jul 2025
Fromology (CHEESE) Part 1 with Kyra James
<p>Soft. Hard. Fresh. Aged. Stinky. Illegal. Let’s talk cheese with Certified Cheese Professional (CCP) and Fromologist, Kyra James. We chat about proprietary bacterial slurries, basement caves, cheese knife etiquette, rind eating, vegetarian versus vegan cheeses, cheese history, ... Show More
1h 10m
Feb 2024
The Demogorgonzola
This slightly aged, green-blue veined cheese is prized for its heckishly piquant flavor. Anney and Lauren dig into the science and history of gorgonzola.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. 
31m 12s
Sep 2018
Illegal Cheese, The Worst Dairy Disaster, Holes in People (and Cows)
The weirdest things we learned this week range from the world's worst dairy-related disaster to a Sardinian cheese that is illegal to sell. Whose story will be voted "The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week"? The Weirdest Thing I Learned This Week is a podcast by Popular Science. ... Show More
34m 35s
Feb 2021
Cheese
In the immortal words of Steven Quincy Urkel, “Got any cheese?” We sure do this week as we discuss one of the best kinds of foods there is, cheese. From stinky to mild, we don’t hold any of our thoughts back.BetterHelp - Get 10% off your first month by visiting our sponsor better ... Show More
1h 5m
Sep 2024
Fruity vapes paralyse lungs, and world's oldest cheese
In this edition of The Naked Scientists: Signs that fruity vapes paralyse the immune system in your lungs; the world's oldest cheese: but why was the nearly 4000 year old dairy product smeared all over an ancient Chinese mummy? And, why it might be a giant leap to suggest that we ... Show More
31m 17s