Cooking Issues

Episode 57: Bread, Brains, and Gum

This week Cooking Issues gets sticky and wierd. Dave and Nastassia answer your questions about using gums such carrageenan and guar in your cooking as well as giving you eating and traveling tips for those traveling to to New York with kids (hint our very own Roberta’s is perfect for kids!). Tune in to learn how to make Dave’s special Neapolitan pizza recipe as well as Jim Lahey’s no-knead, no stress bread and how to cook a whole goat head! This episode is sponsored again by The Modernist P...

Episode 56: Chris Young

This week on Cooking Issues Dave Arnold is joined by Chris Young, one of the authors of Modernist Cuisine. But first he takes on your questions on blue fish and ike jime, enzymatic peeling, and how to avoid Botulism when you are doing your own canning. Later Chris and Dave get nerdy on evaporative reduction and the Gastrovac. Also don’t miss Chris talking about his ventures with Nathan Myrhvold and the Gates Foundations in sub-Saharan Africa in trying to create a reliable fresh milk supply c...

Episode 55: Jerry Lee, Confit & More

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia are gearing up for the launch of the Museum of Food and Drink and things get a little raunchy. Between riffing on Jerry Lee Lewis and Nastassia Dave takes call and emails on topics from vegetable stock for soups and bacon-infused spirits to revisiting the subjects of confit and vacuum sealing. If you want to learn about the safety of plastic wrap products, how to make cheese melt perfectly, or get you’re own free sample of Meat Glue tune into Co...

Episode 54: WWJE

This week on Cooking Issues Dave turns up the heat on induction burners–find out why you should get rid of that electric range and get an induction burner installed today. Ever wonder what Jesus would have actually eaten back in the dayin ancient Sumeria? Dave gives you a sneak peak of his No Reservations with Anthony Bourdain where they talk about just that. This episode is sponsored by The Modernist Pantry, who havw extended their offer of a free sample of their amazing Meat Glue if you tu...

Episode 53: Meat Glue & The Modernist Pantry

Today marks a special celebration for Cooking Issues, the 53rd episode! Nastassia and Dave celebrate with some Barterhouse rose. This week they handle your questions from practical jokes with meat glue to pressure cooking stocks such as kombu to DIY ramen noodles. This special episode is brought to you by a special sponsor, The Modernist Pantry so don’t forget to tune in to find out how you can get a free sample of Meat Glue (Tranglutaminase)!

Episode 52: Live from Bogota, It’s Cooking Issues!

Cooking Issues goes from Brooklyn to Bogota as Dave does a call in show from Columbia. Learn about the exotic fruits of the country like the lulo as well as what the are some of the best juicers for vegetables and juicers. Ever consider putting an espresso bar in your home? How to get super-strength gelatin? How to make black garlic? You better tune into this episode for all this and more. This episode is sponsored by the NOFA-NY Locavore Challenge.

Episode 51: Who Doesn’t Like Biscuits?!?!

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave Arnold tackles questions on everything from water chesnut to Hydraulic fracturing. Find out why guar prices are on the rise, why low fat batter is never a good idea, and how to smoke tomatoes. Also hear how to rid your syrups of cyanide and learn why Nastasissa hates biscuits. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery.

Episode 50: Nathan Myhrvold

This week Cooking Issues has an extra-special, extra-long, extra-strength episode for you with the amazing polymath Nathan Myhrvold joining Dave and Nastassia in the studio. Tune in to hear this cooking A-team answer your questions live about liquid nitrogen dewars, flavor chemistry, the best emulsifying equipment as well as egg processing technology and tenderizing meat. This episode is jam packed with tips and tricks from dinner party etiquette to cocktail chemistry so be sure you don’t mi...

Episode 49: Meat, MSG, and Mayan Spinach

Ever wonder where the greatest collection of pears and berries are in the United States? Which plant will kill you via cyanide poisoning uncooked but is one of the most nutritious when cooked? Dave takes on these questions as well as yours from last week in this episode of Cooking Issues. Confused about sous-vide and cooking times and temperatures? Do you blackout on MSG? Wanna make your own bubblegum??? Then this is the episode for you! This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market.

Episode 48: Sugar, Manatees, and Meat

This weeks episode of Cooking Issues melts down the science behind sugar’s decomposition under heat as well as sous-vide and low-temp fish cooking techniques. What do manatees, tissue engineering, tattooing your own fruit have in common? Tune in to find out. This episode is sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

Episode 47: Food Chemistry and Color

This week on Cooking Issues Dave tackles your questions from last week show. Learn about cultured-meat technology and how it relates to veganism and gelatin as well as finding creative ways to change the color of your food. Later on find out what exactly the Ouzo effect is and what causes it. Love popcorn? Dave shares tips on the best way to get those kernels popping. This episode is sponsored by The Barterhouse.

Episode 46: Dave’s Back!

This week Dave is back to Cooking Issues after a 3-week hiatus and Nastasia joins in from the Outer Banks. This episode loaded with question from listerners and answers from Dave from what to do with papaya pectinesterase to how to make the best ice coffee to the best ways to vacuum seal. Learn how to keep your vacuum sealed veggies from floating in water, industrial marshmallow production, and the function of malt in beer making. This episode is sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Episode 45: Pie

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave is alone in the studio as Nastassia joins him on the phone from Rhode Island. Tune in to hear all about fat melting and pie crusts, why pretzel sticks are not as good as pretzel knots and how to balance flavor. Also learn some great techniques for pit roasting pig this BBQ season. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market.

Episode 44: Curing and Iki Jime

This week on Cooking Issues Dave discourses on culinary techniques from Japan to Kentucky. First Dave answers your questions on how to make your own meat smoker and learn the difference between using nitrates, saltpeter and other curing salt. Later on learn about the fascinating Japanese fish-killing techniques known as Iki Jime. This episode is sponsored by Fairway Market.

Episode 43: Harold McGee

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave Arnold is joined via telephone by author and food science expert Harold McGee. Tune in as Dave & Harold tackle some listener questions regarding overcooking grains, country ham storage time, sourdough temperatures and more. This episode was sponsored by Just Food’s City Chicken Project 2011.

Episode 42: Raw Vegan Diet

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave tries out a raw vegan diet and discusses the hardships and limitations involved. He then answers questions about meat, popcorn, and salumi followed by a passionate take on how pretzels should always be. This week’s episode is sponsored by Fairway Market, like no other market.

Episode 41: Vodka Sauce & Non Alcoholic Cocktails

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave & Nastassia answer a mailbag full of questions ranging from the purpose of vodka in vodka sauce to advice regarding non-alcoholic cocktails. Tune in to learn more about gelling properties, molds, starches and more – and find out why Nastassia has 8 cavities! This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery Photo: the probable cause of Nastassia’s cavities

Episode 40: Cuffs and Buttons

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave is joined by Chad Solomon and Christy Pope of Cuffs and Buttons. Tune in to hear some tips from the cocktail experts themselves on everything from phosphoric acid to aromatic drinks. Dave also answers listeners questions on topics such as cellulose, BBQ & used restaurant equipment. This episode was sponsored by Heritage Foods USA.

Episode 39: Brooks Headley

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave and Nastassia are joined by Brooks Headley, the Executive Pastry Chef at Del Posto. Brooks gives some advice to those are want to become a chef and tries to solve the issue of cracked cheesecake. Tune in for an update on the Marthafuge, find out what a semi-changa is and learn why Nastassia can’t stand the foods she ate growing up. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

Episode 38: Bacon Carbonara?

Episode 37: Cinnamon, Guar Gum, Etc.

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave has his hands full with listener questions and manages to get through them all. Tune in to hear more about cinnamon, guar gum, meat glue, seaweed and much much more. Find out how ice can assist in the baking process and why Dave finally buckled down and bought an Aeropress. Sponsored by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass-finished beef. For more information visit www.HearstRanch.com

Episode 36: Eat Canadian Geese!

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave and Nastassia tackle questions about everything from mutations breeding to Canadian geese. Tune in to learn why GMO’s may not be so bad after all, and how to approach smoking at home. Find out the slight differences between chicken and duck egg yolk, how to mold starches and make tables. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. For more information visit www.SurryFarms.com.

Episode 35: SPORE SPORE SPORE

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave talks about his experience trying to make salt risen bread. Learn more about this yeast-less bread and why Nastassia can’t stand the word SPORE. Dave also answers questions about fixing a Braun Thermomix, brewing raw beer and adding liquid to sous vide steak. This episode was brought to you by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass-finished beef. For more information visit www.HearstRanch.com

Episode 34: Stand Up!

Cooking Issues is back to it’s normal time slot and Sly & The Family Stone replace Hall & Oats as the break music! Tune in as Dave & Nastassia manage to shake their MoFaD event hangover to answer some interesting questions from listeners. Find out more about salt risen bread the correct way to make zampone and if tomato skins are digestible. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single-source supplier of grass-fed and grass finished beef. For more information visit...

Episode 33: Harold McGee

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave welcomes friend of the show Harold McGee back to the program. Dave & Harold answer email questions from listeners about everything from earthy aromas to miracle walnuts. Tune in to learn why you should always brine BEFORE cooking, how to properly smoke sausage, why mummies were once thought to be medicinal, how proteins denature and much much more on Cooking Issues. This episode was sponsored by The Museum of Food & Drink

Episode 32: Change the Music

The music may have changed, but the show is just the same! Tune into another information packed episode of Cooking Issues, as Dave answers a wide variety of questions this week. Learn why lye is much more dangerous than you think, how to get rid of red stains on your vacuum sealed chicken and why milk blanching might be unnecessary. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. For more information visit www.CainFive.com. Hall & Oats, the new Cooking Issues music this week

Episode 31: Torch It!!!

This week on Cooking Issues, listen in as Dave solves issues ranging from blow torched meat to Maillard reaction eggs. Hear about Dave’s experience “fluffing” up the Food Network stars and talking to kids about liquid nitrogen. Find out which carbonation/infusion technique is for you and learn about lilikoi, control loops and ultra sonic french fries. Got an idea for Dave’s new break song? Send it to us! This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single source supplier ...

Episode 30: Okra & Macaroons

You’ve got issues – Dave’s got answers. Tune into the latest episode of Cooking Issues for help with topics such as tempering chocolate and cooking authentic French macaroons at home. Learn more about okra, nopales and almond paste and also hear Dave get stumped on air for the very first time! Also tune in to hear a heartbreaking Valentine’s Day rejection story. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch – the nations largest single source supplier of grassfed and grass finished beef.

Episode 29: The Perfect Espresso

What happens when Nastassia “The Hammer” Lopez is not in studio with Dave? He gets a chance to go on (and on) about espresso techniques and what makes lever machines different (and better) than pump machines. Dave also answers many of your submitted questions including solving issues such as sous vide duck confit, brisket cooking techniques and fried chicken recipes. Tune in for some closure on last week’s chocolate chip cookie question and learn why Dave sometimes questions the claims of fo...

Episode 28: Dave is Back!

Dave is finally in the studio on time for another exiting round of Cooking Issues. Dave answers calls about everything chocolate chip cookies to Champagne bubbles and explains how to potentially make vegetarian gelatin. Tune in to hear an update on the Marthafuge situation and hear about the star chefs that will be lining up to cook at The Food Museum fundraiser. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market.

Episode 27: Not In the Fridge!

Today on Cooking Issues, Dave is on time and has plenty of callers to answer to. Listen as he talks about his opinions on raw milk legislation, sauce making techniques, storing oil and cooking pizza in a home oven. Tune in and walk away knowing more than you did before the show, including why you should never refrigerate your cheese! This episode was sponsored by Tabard Inn / Route 11. For more information visit www.tabardinn.com Dave’s nightmare

Episode 26: Through the Slush

Dave successfully fights through the slush to host yet another informative and entertaining episode of Cooking Issues. He discusses the difference between different types of gelatin, previews his 3D food printing segment with CNN, debuts the idea of his food museum, explains why he will have to postpone his week of raw food, and tells a hilarious story involving Martha Stewart and a used rotary evaporator. This episode was sponsored by The Barterhouse. Learn more about their wines at www.the...

Episode 25: Pro Salt War Path

The MTA might have been responsible for Dave’s lateness this week, but that didn’t stop him from plowing through your Cooking Issues. Tune in and learn about cooking with THC, what happens when potatoes turn gray, using ISI infusions to make oil andwhy Dave once loved EZ cheese. Also learn why Dave supports salt and questions those who are convinced we need less of it in our diets. According to Dave, past generations tolerated much more salt with no real problems. Disagree? Let him know! Thi...

Episode 24: Fishes, Fishes, Vodka

On the first episode of Cooking Issues in 2011, Dave & Nastassia are reunited in the studio and there are many issues to be resolved. Dave fields questions about home carbonation, infusing vinegar, essential oils, differences between starches and the music behind the show. Tune in and find out why Dave owes iSi an apology and why curing turkeys will salt might not kill you! This episode was sponsored by The Barterhouse. For more information visit www.thebarterhouse.com.

Episode 23: Holiday Special

On a “holiday” themed episode of Cooking Issues, Dave rides solo as Nastassia is in the comforts of Southern California. Nastassia does join by phone while Dave answers some interesting questions from listeners. Tune in to find out how short ribs are affected when prepared using low temperature cooking techniques, how to make homemade fizzing tables, why hot ice cream never really works out and how to best prepare a Christmas goose. This episode was sponsored by Tekserve & their E-Waste even...

Episode 22: I Want to Be a Mexican Grandmother!

This week on Cooking Issues, Dave addresses the growing concern over Nastassia’s lack of on-air time and Nastassia responds with…well, a little bit more on-air time than usual! Dave finished last week’s question on egg substitutes, and also ponders what pigs milk might taste like. He also explores rice cooking techniques, coffee extraction and nixtamalization. Tune in and find out why in the world Dave wants to become a Mexican grandmother one day! This episode was sponsored by Tekserve & Th...

Episode 21: Say No To Welshers!

It’s official! Dave will be eating raw food for a week after making a public bet last week that nobody could find raw chocolate that doesn’t taste horrible. There was some debate as to what could actually be considered raw chocolate, but make no mistake about it – Dave is no welsher. Tune into this week’s episode of Cooking Issues to learn why TIC Gums is such a an awesome company and what Thai Red Lime Paste is made out of. This episode was sponsored by our good friends at S. Wallace Edward...

Episode 20: Heritage Turkey & More

Are Dave’s classes really worth taking? Are Heritage turkeys really that good? Is it possible to infuse alcohol with Dr. Pepper? These are some of the questions that Dave and Nastassia fielded this week on Cooking Issues. Tune in to hear Dave’s hilarious Thanksgiving story involving a smoke filled house, and find out what Twist n Sparkle is good for. This episode was generously sponsored by 360 Cookware. For more information visit www.360cookware.com.

Episode 19: Thanksgiving Episode

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia take on a set of Turkey-day related cooking issues. Learn how to make the perfect stuffing as safely as humanly possible, why we shouldn’t ignore our rich history of hanging birds before cooking them, and how a physics student used a bar of chocolate and a microwave to measure the speed of light. Plus: someone threatens to cook Dave over a certain racoon-related jpeg. This episode was sponsored by Cabot Cheese of Vermont, Dairy Farm Family owned...

Episode 18: Szechuan Stuff

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia attempt to reach out to a community of listeners with cooking issues. This week they talk Szechuan peppercorns versus Szechuan buttons, what to do and NOT to do with Xantham Gum, and how to minimize the tannin-y acrid overtones of some homemade walnut liquor. This episode was sponsored by Cabot Cheese of Vermont, Dairy Farm Family owned since 1919 Szechuan peppercorns

Episode 17: Home Ground Meat

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia return to US soil to tackle more listener queries from the phone and the computer. Learn some surprising secrets to getting velvety, home-ground meat without bone chips. Learn why consumer-level vaccum sealers often can remove more moisture than the professional-quality variety. Learn about the “Narun Barun” pear, which smells and looks like quince. Finally learn why vegetarian marshmallows represent the “holy grail” to some food enthusiasts, an...

Episode 16: London!

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia call-in from London’s Heathrow Airport for a special lay-over edition of Cooking Issues. They take calls regarding quinine: the phosphorescent, mildly dangerous, highly versatile bittering agent; sous-vide BBQ, and whether or not it will taste “smokey”; and making bitters, and what the best alcohol to use is. Finally Dave recounts a blood-soaked incident in a high-end London eatery involving birds, bullets, and brains. This episode was sponsored...

Episode 15: American Country Ham

On today’s Cooking Issues, Dave and Nastassia answer your e-mails and take calls from both sides of the Atlantic. Listen to learn the rich history of American country ham, the magical properties of sodium alginate, how to build your own vacuum pump, and the centrifugal secrets of Dave’s Banana Justino. This episode is brought to you by Edwards of Surry, Virginia. Image: American Country Ham from S. Wallace Edwards & Sons

Episode 14: Berlin!

This week on Cooking Issues Dave calls in from Berlin to join Nastassia in-studio. Together they take your calls, take a look at the past week’s emails, and discuss making and storing simple syrup, fashioning ice lenses (by hand) to start fires, why your brain needs salt, and cast-iron stick reduction. Finally Dave described some all-too-recent misadventures at the airport in Dusseldorf. This episode was sponsored by Acme Smoked Fish: a culinary mainstay in NYC for over 55 years. Photo: Dav...

Episode 13: Climbing the Ladder

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia help an aspiring chef in New Zealand who wants to make the big time in the States, and give him some pointers and a plan on getting across the sea and up the ladder. Dave also talks retrofitted C-Vap ovens and laments the great “sous-vide crackdown” of the 90s. The gang also reveal that you can indeed cook decent Osso Bucco in a pressure cooker, shaving off hours of cooking time and keeping your kitchen cool at the same time. This episode was sp...

Episode 12: Busted eBay Junk

This week on Cooking Issues Dave helps a listener fix a busted eBay purchase, laments America’s obsession with white meat versus dark, questions the validity of rubbing cucumbers together to reduce bitterness, works with a caller to combine cola and espresso, suggests replacing tendons with meat glue, and finally discusses the potential to infuse drinks with tobacco. Don’t miss another helpful, info-packed episode with HRN’s mad scientist duo Dave and Nastassia. This episode was sponsored by...

Episode 11: Vaporize It!

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia spoke on their usual wide breadth of topics, helping chefs from all over the planet cook their food flawlessly. The vaporizer, an instrument most often used for smoking pot, is touched on; some chefs are using vaporizers to distribute food scents for olfactory or theatrical effects. Dave also returns to a previous question regarding microwaves to discuss using silicon carbide as a heating catalyst (some substances just like microwaves better tha...

Episode 10: Chocolate at Home

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia take a caller’s query on making chocolate at home, and delve into the world of “chocolate alchemy” with a crash course on the melanger–the heavy machinery of the chocolate world. Dave also addresses at-home carbonation techniques, including a double-shot technique for the heavy bubble purists. Finally Dave drops science with a quick shaken vs stirred breakdown that would make James Bond blush. This episode was sponsored by The Barterhouse. Phot...

Episode 9: Indian Food

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia dish out a heaping helping of culinary assistance via the telephone as they field calls from friends and strangers alike. Tune in to hear suggestions for tackling the immense (in choice, not difficulty!) undertaking of cooking Indian cuisine, listen to the science behind and practical solution to keeping basil and other greens bright and fresh when chopping or slicing them, and of course don’t miss an opportunity to hear Nastassia’s astrological...

Episode 8: All You Can Eat

This week on Cooking Issues Dave and Nastassia tackle a bevy of questions and add some sage advice on all-you-can-eat restaurants for good measure. Dave helps a new college student sans kitchen (or even a hotplate) by explaining how to smelt metal in her microwave (seriously), and lends a hand to a fledgling food writer. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch: purveyors of grass-fed beef from the coast of California. Photo: Aunt Ruby German Green Tomato