Proof
196 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★ - 1.8K ratingsWe take America's Test Kitchen's inquisitive and relentless approach to telling unexpected, funny, and thought-provoking narratives about food and drink. This is not a recipe show. And this is not a show about celebrity chefs or what they like to eat. Proof plunges into history, culture, science, and the psyche to uncover the hidden backstories that feed your food-obsessed brain. A production of America's Test Kitchen.
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Episodes
Season 8 Starts July 29 with a new host!
July 22, 2021 04:00 - 1 minute - 1.6 MBThis season, we're back with a new lineup, and a new host, Kevin Pang! We kick off the season with a story about gelatin and the heyday of Jell-O. We ride along an apple hunter’s journey in search of a lost apple variety. We look at the place--and the food--that’s nurtured some of the best comedians in America, and how a drink made by a silent group of monks has survived over centuries, against all odds. All that, and more on season 8 of Proof from America’s Test Kitchen. See Priva...
Sakura and the Wild Boars
June 10, 2021 04:00 - 52 minutes - 47.7 MBIn the town of Yamanaka in Western Japan, wild boars are a threat to local farming. With the extinction of natural predators, the boars run rampant, leaving hunters like Sakura Yoshida to patrol the area. This pits boars against humans, but Sakura approaches the boars with veneration and a deep understanding of the ecosystem they both inhabit. In this episode of Proof, author Hannah Kirshner takes us along for a ride with Sakura and recounts the history of meat eating in Japan. Th...
Reclaiming the Fifth Sense
June 03, 2021 04:00 - 49 minutes - 45.2 MBOur five senses--sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell--can feel intrinsically linked to who we are. But when aspiring chef Molly Birnbaum lost her sense of smell in a traumatic accident, she resolved to get it back through smell training and learning how our olfactory systems are connected to the brain. In this episode of Proof, Editor-In-Chief of ATK Kids Molly Birnbaum, walks us through her journey, and talks to others who lost their sense of smell--from Covid-19 and other causes...
No Us Without You
May 27, 2021 04:00 - 38 minutes - 35.5 MBHospitality and and serving others were at the heart of Damián Diaz and Othón Nolasco's bar consulting business in Los Angeles. When the pandemic hit, the duo noticed that undocumented workers, who serve as vital back of house staff at restaurants and bars, weren't eligible or able to get the help that they needed. The two decided to start a nonprofit organization and called it No Us Without You. In this episode of Proof, reporter Jean Trinh talks to two individuals who have been he...
A Baloney Redemption Story
May 20, 2021 04:00 - 39 minutes - 36 MBBaloney is one of the most well-known--and divisive--meat products in the United States. Many synonymize it with "fake" or "synthetic," but there are some who defend the maligned meat to its core. What makes this iconic American food so controversial, and how did it fall from its former glory? In this episode of Proof, Reporter Rebecca Rosman travels to Bologna, Italy to trace the origins of the city's namesake meat, and talks to the people in the United States who are at the forefr...
Nixtamalization and Indigenous Science
May 13, 2021 04:00 - 36 minutes - 33.1 MBTortillas, tortilla chips, and tamales—these are all foods that are easy to enjoy but not as easy to make from scratch. There's a process called nixtamalization that occurs, which unlocks nutrients from corn and makes it ready to use in the foods we love. Nixtamalization is a crucial step, yet it's not well-known. It's a testament to the ingenuity of Indigenous science, which has been subject to erasure throughout history. In this episode of Proof, Navajo reporter Andi Murphy walks ...
Feeders, Eaters, and A Neither
May 06, 2021 04:00 - 51 minutes - 47.4 MBFor many of us, food and family are an intertwined bridge of our identity. We can trace so many things about ourselves and personalities to our family members and the meals we’ve shared. There are the dedicated feeders of the family, the thankful eaters, and the confusing neithers--they neither eat nor feed. Writer Ahmed Ali Akbar was a neither. At an early age, he didn’t eat or prepare much of his family’s Pakistani food. However, an unexpected meal changed his entire perspective. ...
The Curious Curator of Culinary History
April 29, 2021 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBThe Food Timeline has been a valuable resource for food professionals and laypeople alike. The website chronicles the origins of everything from emmer grain (which, dates back to 17,000 BC), to the modern-day cake pop. Most impressively, the Food Timeline was the creation of one single individual: Lynne Olver. In 2015, however, the future of the Food Timeline suddenly becomes uncertain. In this episode of Proof, we go back in Internet history to witness the Food Timeline's birth and...
France, Tin Cans, and the Missing Man
April 22, 2021 04:00 - 40 minutes - 36.6 MBCanned foods are an essential part of our pantries. From pasta sauce, to pumpkin puree, to corn and beans, these ready-to-open options give cooking more ease. That is exactly what Nicolas Appert wanted when he invented the airtight art of food preservation. During the 19th century, this French chef identified ways to hold nature’s greatest gifts in bottles year-round. Yet, after this transformative discovery, Appert’s legacy is still unknown by the majority of the world. In this epi...
Season 7 Starts April 22
April 08, 2021 04:00 - 1 minute - 1.34 MBWho was the man who helped revolutionize the way we eat? What does it mean to be an ambassador of a food culture and a pickiy eater at the same time? Why is a boar hunter in Japan conflicted? Tune in to find out on Season 7 of Proof beginning April 22. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
[Bonus] The Sporkful: Mission: ImPASTAble 1| Spaghetti Sucks
March 11, 2021 05:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBDan Pashman is on a mission to make--and sell--a new pasta shape. Our friends at The Sporkful have a new five part series on Dan's journey (and in this episode, find out why he hates Spaghetti). You can find the rest of the series in The Sporkful feed wherever you listen to podcasts. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
[Bonus] Rebel Eaters Club: Food is a Bridge with Francis Lam
January 28, 2021 05:00 - 35 minutes - 32.4 MBOur friends a Transmitter Media have a body-positive and unapologetically food-positive show that is about breaking up with diet culture. Host Virgie Tovar talks to amazing ‘rebel eaters’ who will change the way you think about food and your body. Their second season just launched and features great conversations with guests like Francis Lam from The Splendid Table, as well as fascinating stories about why we eat what we eat. Listen now in your favorite podcast app or at rebeleaters...
An Ice Cream Truck Music Controversy
January 21, 2021 05:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBNichols Electronics has a monopoly on the ice cream truck music box market. When you hear the familiar sound of ice cream truck music ringing through your neighborhood, chances are extremely high that it’s coming from a box that Mark and Beth Nichols created. For decades, they’ve been in the business of evoking nostalgia and happy memories. Until recently, when it was revealed that one of the most popular songs on their boxes has a dark history. Today on Proof, we tell the story of ...
How Orange Juice Was Built
January 14, 2021 05:00 - 37 minutes - 34.4 MBWhen you see “not from concentrate” on a carton of OJ, you might assume it’s healthier than other brands. But actually, that’s a relic of a decades-long juice brand battle and deceptive marketing that sold customers the promise of a "balanced breakfast." In fact, the behemoths behind orange juice popularity have constantly shape-shifted and reinvented themselves in order to bring our favorite breakfast juice to the proverbial table. In this episode of Proof, we chronicle Minute Maid...
Considering Blue Food
January 07, 2021 05:00 - 36 minutes - 33.2 MBThe color blue doesn’t really occur naturally in food. Think about it: when was the last time you ate something blue? Maybe a piece of candy or an ice pop that was “blue raspberry” flavored. Food marketing teams have steered their companies away from blue labels and blue colored foods (except in a few cases), often citing studies on the psychology of color and perception of taste. But one popular study might not be all it’s cracked up to be. This week we teamed up with Slate’s Decod...
[Bonus] Ask This Old House: Insulating Your Attic
December 21, 2020 05:00 - 13 minutes - 12.2 MBOur friends at This Old House have a new podcast "Ask This Old House". The show features home enthusiasts around the country, who ask questions about the toughest projects in their homes. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Sizzler and the Search for the American Dream
December 17, 2020 05:00 - 25 minutes - 23.3 MBWhen Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee and her family moved to America from Korea in the 1980s, they were immersed in a whole new world. New schools, friends, jobs, and new food. None was more remarkable than the salad bar at Sizzler, with its small yellow cubed pieces of cheese and Thousand Island dressing. In this memoir, Cecilia and her siblings recall their first few years in the US, and how food shaped their family’s pursuit of the American Dream. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...
France's Forbidden Wine
December 10, 2020 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBHervé Garnier owns a small vineyard in the tiny French town of Beaumont making wine from hybrid Franco-American grape varieties. But this fruity, floral, rich red wine he makes… is illegal. According to outdated French and EU law, the wine made from these hybrid vines is dangerous, that it induces madness. But they also claim the wine just doesn’t taste good enough to be sanctioned as “French Wine.” Hervé calls these excuses absurdités. For decades, he has fought the restrictions to...
The Case of the Snail in the Ginger Beer
December 03, 2020 05:00 - 34 minutes - 31.9 MBModern personal injury lawsuits are now considered frivolous, at best. But 66 years before the infamous spilled McDonald’s coffee, May Donoghue drank a ginger beer in Paisley, Scotland and changed personal injury law forever. May, a humble shopkeeper, discovered a snail in her drink and decided to sue. No such lawsuit had ever been won before. She was slandered in the press, and criticized in court, but to the surprise of many, she won. In Proof’s first ever docu-drama episode, we e...
Season 6 Starts December 3
November 27, 2020 05:00 - 2 minutes - 1.9 MBIllegal wine, food color psychology, a snail in a soda, and an immigrant family's food story. We're back with more of the food stories you love. Tune in for Season 6 of Proof beginning December 3. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
[Bonus] Antiques Roadshow's Detours Podcast
November 23, 2020 05:00 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBOur friends at GBH and Antiques Roadshow have a new podcast called Detours, where you'll get some insider info on objects you've never seen before, and why. We're excited to share their first episode with you: The Hardest Fact I Ever Checked. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Villain of Trader Joe's
November 12, 2020 05:00 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBThe Trader Joe's subreddit is a place for friendly conversation and helpful tips for how to use Trader Joe's products. But what happened when a villain caused trouble in the online community? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Thanksgiving Times in Crises
November 05, 2020 05:00 - 20 minutes - 18.6 MBBecky Krystal of The Washington Post joins Bridget to talk about what Thanksgiving has looked like in the past during times of crises like the World Wars, economic disasters, and more. Read Becky's article The Washington Post. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
[Bonus] The Genius Recipe Tapes: The #1 Way to Eat More Vegetables
October 31, 2020 04:00 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBOur friends at Food52 have a great new podcast about the uncut gems of their weekly "Genius Recipes" column and video series. Bridget talks with host Kristen Miglore before playing an episode of the show. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Genetics of Taste
October 29, 2020 04:00 - 14 minutes - 13.6 MBBridget speaks with Dr. Danielle Reed from the Monell Chemical Senses Center about the genetics of taste perception. To learn more about the Monell Center’s research, visit monell.org. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Famous Death Row Meals
October 22, 2020 04:00 - 11 minutes - 10.8 MBAshley Lecker, Author of the Serial Killer Cookbook, joins Bridget to talk about Famous Death Row Meals. Warning: this episode may not be suitable for children. You can purchase Ashley's book here: https://ulyssespress.com/books/the-serial-killer-cookbook/ See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Proof Presents: The Walk-In
October 01, 2020 04:00 - 55 minutes - 50.6 MBIn this special episode of Proof, Bridget Lancaster talks with America’s Test Kitchen Executive Editor Elle Simone Scott about Elle’s new podcast, The Walk-In. Then, food historian Dr. Jessica B. Harris steps into The Walk-In with Elle. Food historian, author, and educator Dr. Jessica B. Harris gives Elle advice only an Auntie can. They talk about growing up as an only child, the magic of HBCUs, and how the pandemic has changed Dr. Harris' perspective. See Privacy Policy at https...
Hive Heist
September 24, 2020 04:00 - 30 minutes - 28.2 MBA new branch of crime has emerged in central California under cover of mass almond groves: the theft of beehives. Why? Because they’re really valuable. The American honey economy has crashed, leading beekeepers to find other sources of income for their bees. The burgeoning US Almond industry was just the key. But it's a dangerous gig for the bees, making their hive rental fees steep and a perfect target for organized crime. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Calif...
You're a Good Man, Brady Keys
September 18, 2020 01:03 - 42 minutes - 38.5 MBAfter Martin Luther King, Jr.’s assassination in 1968, Civil Rights leaders, fast food corporations, and the Nixon administration began an unlikely collaboration: to promote “Black Capitalism” in the fast food industry. The idea was this: promoting Black franchise business ownership in Black neighborhoods could improve the quality of Black life in America. Brady Keys was the king of Nixon’s Black capitalism. He received upwards of 9 million dollars in federal money to develop his fa...
The Case of the Disappearing Franchise
September 10, 2020 04:00 - 39 minutes - 36.2 MBHistorian/Fast-food Detective Marcia Chatelain is our guide as we explore the cases of American fast food franchises that once were, until they vanished without a trace. The Mid-century was the height of fast-food franchising: McDonalds, KFC, White Castle. But what about the chains that didn’t survive? From pyramid schemes and copycats to acquisitions and fish wars, we explore the culprits in the cases of the disappearing franchise. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy a...
The Mysterious Yamei Kin
September 03, 2020 04:00 - 45 minutes - 41.5 MBDr. Yamei Kin was orphaned by her parents at a young age, and adopted by missionaries. She became one of the first Chinese women to receive a medical degree. In the 1910s, the USDA hired Dr. Kin to research high-protein foods in light of World War I shortages. But she was never able to position tofu as a respectable ingredient in the American diet. Why wasn’t the West ready for Tofu? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/...
Will The Real Mr. Oreo Please Stand Up?
August 27, 2020 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MBA collaboration with Business Insider’s Brought To You By. In this three-part story, we tell the history of the Biscuit Wars of the early 1900s. Then, we learn of one woman’s relationship with Oreos as an expression of rebellion to her Jewish roots’ Kosher rules. Lastly, we also uncover the real story behind Mr. Oreo, the man who somehow got credit for inventing the current Oreo cream filling. Read Marjorie Ingall's essay about the Oreo Stella Parks, BraveTart: Iconic American D...
The Search for the Queerest Food
August 20, 2020 04:00 - 43 minutes - 39.5 MBIn John Birdsall’s 2014 article, "America, Your Food is so Gay," he describes a particularly indulgent cheese burger as "unflinchingly queer." For reporter Chad Chenail, this sparked a journey of self-discovery through queer theory, all in an attempt to answer the question: What is the Queerest food? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Season 5 starts August 20
August 06, 2020 04:00 - 2 minutes - 2.33 MBQueer food, beehive theft, Nixon-sponsored fast food, and searching for Mr. Oreo. We're back with more of the food stories you love. Tune in for Season 5 of Proof beginning August 20. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Summer Cocktails 101
July 30, 2020 04:00 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBAccording to cocktail expert Dan Zucarello, the basic Daiquiri might be the queen of all cocktails. Learn these cocktail fundamentals, and your summer will be filled with delicious drinks. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Wine and Whisky Copycats
July 23, 2020 04:00 - 21 minutes - 19.5 MBSome new wines and spirits are being created in the lab, not the cask. Using flavor technology, companies are able to replicate artisan wines and spirits at a fraction of the price. But, is there art in that too? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Quaran-tiny Sourdough Starter
July 16, 2020 04:00 - 16 minutes - 14.7 MBCreating a sourdough starter can be difficult during a pandemic. Sourdough Guru, Andrew Janjigian is here to help. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
Science Diction: Umami
July 09, 2020 04:00 - 13 minutes - 12.3 MBScience Diction host Johanna Mayer joins Bridget to talk about the history of Umami and MSG. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
[Bonus] Brought To You By from Business Insider: Jack Daniel's
June 04, 2020 04:00 - 35 minutes - 32.1 MBWhile we work on our next season, here's another podcast to check out: Brought To You By from Business Insider. Jack Daniel’s is the top-selling whiskey in the world. For more than 150 years, it’s been made using time-honored methods that go back to when Jack Daniel made the whiskey himself. (Yes, he was a real person.) But who taught “Mr. Jack” how to make that whiskey? Nearest Green, a formerly enslaved man. Unlike Jack Daniel, though, most people don’t know his name, so one woman...
Exodus Bagels: A Small Business and COVID-19
May 28, 2020 04:00 - 42 minutes - 38.9 MBThe restaurant industry has been especially hard hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. 8 million restaurant jobs have disappeared around the country and some are projecting $80 billion in lost revenue in March and April alone. But behind the numbers and headlines are real people. This is the story of one family, struggling to save their bagel cafe in Boston. Take our Season 4 survey! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privac...
The Reconstruction of A Royal Cake
May 21, 2020 04:00 - 37 minutes - 34.5 MBIn 1947, the Peek Freans bakery of Bermondsey made a beautiful royal wedding cake for Queen Elizabeth’s nuptials to Phillip, the Duke of Edinburgh. It was a showstopper: 6 feet tall, 6 tiers, and covered in beautiful white royal icing and exquisite decorations. The Peek Freans bakers were so proud of the cake, that they immediately made a replica, which sat on display for decades. Queen Elizabeth’s replica wedding cake would end up in a museum. Until one day in 2015, when it was des...
Cheater Cheater Chili Eater
May 14, 2020 04:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBFor competitive chili cooks, the ultimate accomplishment is taking home first prize at the Original Terlingua International Frank X. Tolbert-Wick Fowler Memorial Championship Chili Cook-off. The Terlingua chili cooks are a tight-knit group. And in 2003, they were suspicious of newcomer Don Eastep. And it turns out, they were right to be. Because Don didn’t cook chili at that cook-off. Instead, he turned in a cup of chili to the judges, filled with samples of everyone else’s chili mi...
The Journey of the Nem
May 07, 2020 05:00 - 32 minutes - 29.7 MBHow did the nem, a Vietnamese Spring Roll, become a prominent feature on Senegalese restaurant menus in New York City? The Journey of the nem is one of war, love, hardship, and chasing a dream. Over the last century, the nem has traveled thousands of miles, from Vietnam, to Senegal, and eventually, to find its new home in New York. The diaspora and the collective knowledge that traveled with it, shared over generations and across international cities, helped propel spring rolls from...
Who Owns Nature?
April 30, 2020 05:00 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBThe Plant Patent Act of 1930 is cited in a landmark Supreme Court case that extended patent rights to genetically engineered plants, animals, and bacteria. But it all started with Luther Burbank, aka the “Wizard of Horticulture.” Burbank rose to fame in the early 20th century for his plant inventions like the Russet Burbank Potato. But, unlike his friends Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, Burbank was never able to patent his creations. After Burbank’s death, his supporters would push a ...
Proof on Podapalooza
April 24, 2020 21:00 - 2 minutes - 2.13 MBWe’re taking the stage for Podapalooza on April 25th and 26th, a virtual podcast festival for the benefit of COVID-19 relief. Purchase tickets here: plza.org All proceeds of your purchase of a Podapalooza Pass go to Give Directly. Give Directly delivers cash payments of $1,000 to vulnerable households in areas affected by COVID-19. Learn more about Give Directly here: givedirectly.org/
Yelp Therapy
April 23, 2020 04:00 - 41 minutes - 38.2 MBBryce has put his blood, sweat, and tears into building his business, a Williamsburg restaurant called Black Flamingo. This plant-based Latin-inspired restaurant is home to a basement disco, and widely celebrated tacos and cocktails. So when Tanya leaves a scathing Yelp review about her bad experience at the restaurant, Bryce is discouraged. A Yelp rating is proven to affect restaurant profit, which can make even one bad review devastating to a business owner like Bryce. When the Ye...
Raiders of the Lost Yeast
April 16, 2020 04:00 - 48 minutes - 44.7 MBSeamus Blackley is the creator of the Xbox. He’s also an ancient Egypt enthusiast and baking hobbyist. Yes, you heard that right. Via Twitter, he assembled a rag-tag team of specialists: an archeologist (Dr. Serena Love) and a biologist (Rich Bowman). Together, they created a grand scheme: extract dormant yeast from the nooks and crannies of ancient Egyptian pots stored in the vaults of the world’s most prestigious museums and bake bread with it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19...
Atomic Peanuts and Gamma Grapefruit
April 09, 2020 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.1 MBIn 1927, more than 50 years before the first GMO crop hit the market, a scientist named Louis Stadler shot X-rays at barley. The result was a random mutation—a change in the color of the plant. While not particularly useful, it showed that with radiation, scientists could roll the genetic dice, press fast-forward on natural selection, and with enough rolls, maybe even uncover something new- a useful mutant. The Atomic Age would inspire a generation of scientists to blast crops with ...
Season 4 Starts April 9
April 02, 2020 04:00 - 2 minutes - 2.69 MB4,500 year old yeast, atomic peanuts, and a cheating scandal at a chili cook-off. Season 4 goes even deeper to reveal what’s on our plates and how it got there. Tune in for Season 4 of Proof beginning April 9. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
[Bonus] The Bitter Southerner: Waffle House
March 20, 2020 04:00 - 47 minutes - 43.8 MBWe want to share with you a podcast from our friends at The Bitter Southerner called "The Ways of Waffle House" that attempts to answer a large question: How could a 2,000-store restaurant chain become, to Southerners, something more than just another place to eat? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.