5 Fave Food Podcasts

I’ve always been into podcasts — or maybe the better way to say it is that I’ve always been into the archived radio shows on NPR, which keep me company in all manner of situations, particularly in the most suburban of situations known as Waiting for Practice to End. But lately I’ve been way more into podcasts than ever before. Why? Well, sure, like everyone else in the world, I was addicted to Serial last fall and felt a real void when it was over, but I also think what kicked me into gear was something I should probably be embarrassed to admit: I only recently discovered that the iTunes podcast app was right there on my smartphone. The whole process of finding them and subscribing used to confuse me, but now that I’ve discovered this, I just search for my show, press a button, and it’s playing through my phone or Bluetooth connection in the car. (Related: have you heard of this thing called the World Wide Web?) I’ve been going a little crazy ever since, heading way way down the Here’s the Thing and WTF with Marc Maron* rabbit hole. I think Andy might short-circuit if I begin one more conversation “On Marc Maron today…”

Anyway, what does this have to do with you and the dinner table, you might ask!? Well, amidst all my searching, I’ve uncovered some awesome food podcasts and thought if you ever found yourself waiting for practice to end, or bored on your commute home from work, or craving a conversation about the finer points of wok technique during a workout, you might consider subscribing to some of these:

America’s Test Kitchen/ATK Radio
I’m addicted to this one. Anyone familiar with Christopher Kimball and the America’s Test Kitchen enterprise shouldn’t be surprised to hear that it’s the most expert-driven podcast I’ve uncovered yet. You’ll hear product reviews, road tests, feature interviews with big-name food people (like Ina Garten and Fuchsia Dunlop), and call-ins, which are my favorite. As far as I can tell, there’s no question Kimball and co-host Bridget Lancaster can’t answer.
Typical topics: Best rice pilaf mix on the market, an interview with Pig Tales author and activist Barry Estabrook, the perfect technique for soft-boiling an egg
Average Length: 1 hour

The Bon Appetit Foodcast
Adam Rapoport, editor in chief and born host (whether it’s a dinner, a party, a podcast or otherwise) invites his test kitchen staff and a rotation of food luminaries to discuss cooking for an upcoming holiday or a deeper look at a story in the current issue of BA.
Typical topics: How to celebrate Valentine’s day “without being totally lame,” an interview with New York Dirt Candy chef Amanda Cohen, making the most of spring vegetables
Average Length: 30-40 minutes

Spilled Milk
In each episode, co-hosts Molly Wizenberg (of Orangette fame) and Matthew Amster-Burton go deep on a single dish or food (scrambled eggs, beer, orange soda, birthday cake). They are the first to admit it’s not always the most instructional half hour, but what they lack in hardcore kitchen tips they make up for in personality and chemistry. It’s been around for over five years, which is saying something — if you like Molly and Molly’s blog, you can’t not like this.
Typical topics: See above plus Cheap Beer, Waffles, Oatmeal Cookies
Average Length: 20-25 minutes

Food52’s Burnt Toast
So far BT hasn’t proven to be heavy on recipes and technique (it’s relatively new, so who knows), but it’s fun to hear Food52 founders Amanda Hesser, Merrill Stubbs and an array of staffers share personal stories about food and cooking — feels sort of like you’re a fly on the wall in their office. Featured guests include Lucky Peach editor Peter Meehan and Saveur editor Adam Sachs.
Typical topics: Where and how to eat on a first date, what makes a great cookbook, how to launch a career in food or food writing
Average Length: 25 minutes

The Sporkful
This one is food nerd city. Host Dan Pashman (who also hosts the Cooking Channel show “You’re Cooking it Wrong”) seems to obsess about every possible level of consumption (the show’s tagline: It’s not for foodies, it’s for eaters) and somehow manages to get you to do the same.
Typical topics: What Makes a sandwich a sandwich (i.e. does a hot dog count?), how to eat while driving a tour van (!), interviews with Eddie Huang, Zach Woods, and …Marc Maron!
Average Length: 25 minutes

Queued up next: The Splendid Table, Radio Cherry Bombe, Dinner Party Download; what am I overlooking?

{Sorta Related: Last week, instead of listening to podcasts, I listened to To Kill a Mockingbird through the Audible app. I hadn’t read it since I was in sixth grade and let’s just say I couldn’t wait to be sitting in the parking lot of a random field complex listening to the brilliant Sissy Spacek read as Scout and Jem and Atticus Finch, who I’m naming my next child after. Or at least my next dog. Holy Moly. Subscribe now!}

*WTF with Marc Maron: NOT FAMILY LISTENING