Ah! the digital age. I love being in it. I love having knowledge and power at my fingertips- exactly how I want it and when I want it. Nowadays, answers to even the vaguest of vague questions can be found and explored in great detail on the internet. Twitter teases us with snippets of info. Facebook keeps us in the loop with friends and family. Instagram and Pinterest delight our appetite for all things visual. Blogs give us interesting insights into people’s minds while Youtube and Podcasts give us the freedom to break away from the rut of scheduled television programming.
One day, in my daily morning email and e-newsletter influx, I read about two new foodie-centric podcasts. Curious? You bet! I had to check them out. 
The first one is called Table to Farm, hosted by Slate Magazine. This show is exploring topics that I have always vaguely wondered about and is answering questions I did not even know I needed answers to. We all hear of CSA’s supporting our local farms, but did you know that there is something called CSF’s for fishing industry? What a neat idea to get fresh delivery of only the seafood that is in season. I learned that seafood seasonality depends on factors like migratory patterns, currents and even typography. It was sad to hear how much the area fisherman suffered after hurricane Sandy - because the hurricane changed the typography of the ocean floor. So all the usual places where the fisherman got their daily catch was no longer the hub for fish. They had to start their search all over again from square one.
How interesting to learn the difference between cage-free and free-range hens and their eggs. And how the industry is loosely using terms like these to mislead the consumers. By the way, did you know that when it comes to milk, organic is not necessarily better than the regular store version. I learned that organic dairies are not sustainable. Many are getting the organic grains they feed the animals from China. And China’s standards for definition of “organic” are very different from the USA. Also high-temperature pasteurization of organic milk kills bad bacteria as well as necessary nutrients. So organic milk may not be as nutrient rich as we assume. I was blown away by all facts I am learning from this show.
Table to Farm is also rich in recipe discussions and best way to cook certain types of foods and why. I loved the debate about whether you should cook scallops wrapped in bacon or just cook it with a dash of lemon juice, butter and seasonings. I totally agree with the idea that bacon totally overpowers the succulent and sweet scallop’s natural taste. While dash of lemon juice and butter bring that sweetness out.
The next podcast is called Talking With My Mouth Full. A light-hearted, fun, funny version that explores some very interesting issues - like the pros and cons of cooking naked! Oh, yes they did!
Did you ever wonder when cooking with alcohol, how much alcohol/ethenol is really left in a dish once its supposedly “burned off”. I was surprised by the answer. At another time, I laughed out loud even while I realized how relevant the question really is: When beating sugar and butter for baking, how do you know when its “fluffy-enough”. Many a cookie and cake don’t quite look exactly like the picture that came with the recipe, right? So what gives?!!! Recipes use that term “fluffy” all the time, but unless you see a recipe demonstration with your own eyes, how do you know what “fluffy” really means? Thankfully that question is now answered once and for all.
I was intrigued to hear that when recipes call for “room-temp” butter - it can be substituted with regular cold-from-the-fridge butter. That is if you are using modern day electric mixers etc. These mixers and the heat from their motors bring the butter temp up to “just right”. So if you forgot to take the butter out of the fridge one day before you started baking - don’t stress it. Phew!!! I am so relieved to learn this little tidbit.
If you check out this podcast, be sure to listen to the one about hosting a “Salon”. Such a fun nifty idea. I love it!
Now, I know that there are tons of other food-centric podcasts out there. In due time, I hope to check them all out. But, I loved how these two podcasts bring in the personalities and personal experiences (the good, the bad, and the embarrassing) of the guests and hosts into the conversation. It made the content totally relatable. The segments tend to be close to half hour long - so they are perfect to have on while you are working at your desk, or for a listen on your smartphone while you are trying to kill time on a train. You are sure to learn a thing or two from each segment. I sure do.
