Best Wretched Radio Podcasts (2025)

It’s time to look back at some of our favorite moments from 2025. There are the interviews that shocked us — from brand new theories of stomach intelligence to Pete Well’s harshest restaurant review — as well as expert cooking tips shared by the likes of Samin Nosrat and Lidia Bastianich. Plus, we revisit a few unforgettable listener calls and Chri…

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Perfect French Toast with Kenji López-Alt & Deb Perelman 39:59

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8d ago39:59

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Today, we’re sharing a special episode from our friends at “The Recipe with Kenji and Deb.” Chris joined Kenji López-Alt and Deb Perelman to talk about their ideal recipe for French Toast. They banter about bread for longer than any podcast ever has (not fact checked) – and how each of them perfects this classic breakfast dish. Get the recipe for F…

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Belgian Waffles, Santa History and Baking Problems Solved! 51:00

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This week, we visit Belgium for holiday baking and festivities with Regula Ysewijn. Plus, we learn about a Welsh tradition that happens on the darkest days of winter, our friends from “A Way with Words” teach us old holiday drinking songs, we make Czech-style kolaches (a sweet cheese- and jam-filled pastry), and Cheryl Day returns to take your baki…

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Wretched Radio | December 20, 2025 52:00

8d ago52:00

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By Todd Friel

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My Dad, Famous Amos 40:01

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Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at Tough Cookie: The Wally ”Famous“ Amos Story. Meet Wally Amos. He founded the ubiquitous Famous Amos Chocolate Chip Cookies in 1975, turning the brand into an overnight sensation and himself into a pop-culture fixture in the 1970s and 1980s. But there’s a darker side to Wally’s seemingly sweet stor…

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Holiday Bonanza! Cookie Q&A and A Very Dickens Christmas 1:01:19

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We answer your calls with Vaughn Vreeland (of New York Times Cookie Week fame) to help you bake the best cookies of the season; historian Pen Vogler breaks down classic Christmas dishes featured in Charles Dickens’ stories, from turkey to plum pudding; author Kat Lieu shares her recipe for Old-Fashioned Cantonese Shortbread; and reporter Mackenzie …

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Sex, Murder and Chocolate 51:01

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Author Aleksandra Crapanzano uncovers the rich history of chocolate—from black markets to murder in the church, people have stopped at nothing to procure this luxurious ingredient. Plus, record producer David Katznelson plays us some drinking songs; Alex Aïnouz masters the art of stock; and we whip up a Rice Pudding with Caramel Cream and Almond Pr…

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10 Year Throwback: Mad French Food Scientist Alex Aïnouz Cooks Up YouTube 50:52

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Milk Street's 10th anniversary is right around the corner! To celebrate, we're revisiting our favorite moments, starting with this week’s episode featuring the very first appearance of regular contributor Alex Aïnouz. On YouTube, Alex is known for his mad scientist experiments, from his million-layer puff pastry to his quest for the perfect French …

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Al Roker: Turkey Dreams and 30 Rock Lunches 51:01

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Al Roker is back on Milk Street with family recipes and television stories to share. He recalls celebrity-filled lunches at the NBC commissary and the holiday meal he dreamt of while recovering from surgery. Plus, Ben Mims reveals the secret history of cookies; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way With Words” express holiday gratitude with f…

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Thanksgiving Throwback (2019): Pumpkin Pie Secrets and Vivian Howard’s Spoon Bread 50:42

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Happy Thanksgiving! Join us for a star-studded trip down memory lane with our Thanksgiving episode from 2019! Stella Parks reveals pumpkin pie secrets and serves up a fresh twist on à la mode; Vivian Howard invites us to her kitchen for North Carolina turkey and sides; Alice Waters, Erin French, Joanne Chang, Reem Kassis and other chefs, authors an…

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Wretched Radio | November 29, 2025 52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Wretched Radio | November 22, 2025 52:00

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By Todd Friel

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2025 Thanksgiving Show! Q&A, Uncommon Pies and José Andrés's Turkey Paella 1:00:33

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How do you carve a turkey without losing the crispy skin? What kind of pie should you make if you’re sick of apple? And what’s the world’s easiest pie crust? This week, chefs Jet Tila and Dominique Ansel join Chris Kimball to answer your Thanksgiving cooking questions. Plus chef Jesse Griffiths goes hunting for wild turkeys; José Andrés, Melissa Cl…

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Thanksgiving Throwback (2017): From Calcutta to Kenji's Make-Ahead Mashed 51:26

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We're putting the finishing touches on our 2025 Thanksgiving special, but in the meantime we have a special treat: We're re-releasing our first-ever Thanksgiving episode from 2017! Reporter Sandip Roy desperately seeks turkey in Calcutta; Kenji López-Alt reveals his secrets to make-ahead mashed potatoes; Dan Pashman spins the wheel of Thanksgiving …

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Wretched Radio | November 15, 2025 51:59

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By Todd Friel

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The Baker Who Made Julia Child Cry: Nancy Silverton's Recipes Will Change Your Life 51:00

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Nancy Silverton is here to make you a better baker. She tells the story about the time she made Julia Child cry on TV and the very best way to make cornbread, angel food cake and more classic desserts. Plus, Joan De Jesus explains the wine world’s biggest trend right now, natural wines; J. Kenji López-Alt shares his secrets for cooking salmon at ho…

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Wretched Radio | November 08, 2025 52:00

2M ago52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Beyond Cronuts: How Foods Go Viral 50:33

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In the beginning, there was the Cronut, the pastry hybrid that ushered in the era of "viral" foods. Its mass appeal wasn't all that surprising, but what about the rise of tinned fish? Reporter Adwoa Gyimah-Brempong shares the unlikely story of this humble pantry staple. Plus, chef Joshua McFadden changes the way we cook and eat pasta, and our frien…

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Live at the Wisconsin Art of Cheese Festival: Fortune Tellers, the Ultimate Grilled Cheese, and Cheddar Blue 38:51

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Milk Street Radio took our show on the road for an unforgettable night at The Wisconsin Art of Cheese Festival in Madison, Wisconsin. To celebrate being in America’s Dairyland, Chris got a Wisconsin dairy history lesson from Laura Werlin; met with Master Cheesemakers Marieke Penterman and Chris Roelli; and even got his fortune read with a wedge of …

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Wretched Radio | November 01, 2025 52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Busting Pizza’s Biggest Myths with Nathan Myhrvold 50:37

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Modernist Cuisine founder Nathan Myhrvold is here with his hottest pizza takes, from deep dish to Tokyo marinara. Plus, journalist Larry Tye tells us how the father of public relations made bacon a breakfast staple, Adam Gopnik explains how to cook for a family with vastly different dietary restrictions, and we whip up a Venetian pasta recipe with …

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BA Bake Club: Perfect Pie with Erin Jeanne McDowell 17:01

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Today, we're sharing an episode from our friends at “Bon Appétit Bake Club.” In this episode of Bon Appétit Bake Club, hosts Shilpa and Jesse team up with pie expert Erin Jeanne McDowell, author of “The Book on Pie,” to tackle listener questions on how to bake the perfect pie. You can listen to all episodes of BA Bake Club here: swap.fm/l/ba-bakecl…

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Our Haunted Podcast! Witches' Brew, The Candy Store Ghost, and The Secret History of Jack-o'-Lanterns 50:37

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We’re serving up an extra frightful hour of Milk Street Radio! Folklorist Lesley Bannatyne reveals the mischievous origins of the jack-o’-lantern, and Oaxacan tour guide Gabriel Sánchez shares memories from Day of the Dead celebrations. Candy historian Susan Benjamin recounts candy’s surprising history in America — and the ghostly encounters in her…

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Wretched Radio | October 18, 2025 52:00

2M ago52:00

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By Todd Friel

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The Vegan Nightmare! Do Vegetables Have Souls? 50:37

3M ago50:37

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According to journalist Zoë Schlanger, your garden isn’t just full of plants that are alive, but plants that can think—like the rice plant, which recognizes its own family members. Schlanger takes us inside a hotbed of scientific controversy: the study of plant intelligence. Plus, the Washington Post’s Joe Yonan masters the art of plant-based cooki…

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Wretched Radio | October 11, 2025 52:00

3M ago52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Steakhouse Secrets: What Nobody Tells You About The Perfect Steak 50:07

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Food writer Tim Hayward shares the juicy history of the steak. We take a peek inside the secret beefsteak societies of England and New York, learn a classic Argentinian salting method, and even try a steak from a 25 year-old-cow in Spain. Plus, Kenji López-Alt goes on a quest for the perfect teriyaki; Sara Moulton and Chris take your cooking calls;…

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Wretched Radio | October 04, 2025 51:59

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By Todd Friel

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Granny Smith Is Vile and Wretched! Apple Tasting Reveals Shocking Reviews 50:22

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This week, your favorite apples get ranked, mercilessly. Find out which apples comedian Brian Frange deems “horse food” and “indigestible filth,” and which crisp, glorious apples rise to the top of the heap. Plus, reporter Katie Thornton joins us to discuss the history and ingenuity of the Frankfurt Kitchen, the blueprint for space-saving kitchen d…

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Wretched Radio | September 27, 2025 52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Dining Dos, Dining Don’ts: The New Rules of Restaurant Etiquette 51:36

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Bon Appétit columnist Maggie Hennessy helps us navigate the new rules of dining out. Is it ever OK to take out your phone? What’s the best way to grab your server’s attention? And how fussy is too fussy? Plus, Irene Yoo throws a soju party, and Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of A Way With Words share the stories behind your favorite pasta shapes…

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Culinary Tour of Colombia: Sweet Corn Arepas and Brisket Dust 50:57

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We explore the cooking of Colombia with Mariana Velásquez, from homemade arepas to sweet panela that tastes like almost-burnt caramel. Plus, we learn about the secret world of creating food emojis with artist Yiying Lu, Adam Gopnik ponders the elements of dinner, and we present a recipe for Spicy and Sour Julienned Potato Salad with Sichuan Pepper.…

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Samin Nosrat Interview: The Extended Cut 32:39

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In this special episode, we’re sharing an extended cut of our interview with Samin Nosrat. We discuss everything from fame and family to her current culinary obsessions. She shares her favorite salad dressings, go-to snacks and treasured old recipes, alongside exciting new flavors and techniques (whipped tahini! burnt honey!). Plus, hear how she fo…

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Wretched Radio | September 13, 2025 51:59

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By Todd Friel

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Samin Nosrat Returns: New Book, New Recipes, New Life 50:37

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Following her 2017 hit—“Salt Fat Acid Heat”—Samin Nosrat is back with her second book, “Good Things”. We talk about fame, family and what she’s cooking; her favorite new flavors and techniques (whipped tahini! burnt honey!); and how she found the sublime in food processor pesto. Plus, James Ooi shares secrets from the Chinese supermarket and Chris …

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Wretched Radio | September 06, 2025 52:00

4M ago52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Magnolia Ice Cream? Yes! Plus Candied Acorns and Spruce Bark Cookies 50:36

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When Justin Davies cuts into a piece of wood, he wonders what it tastes like. Today, he shares his adventures in crafting desserts out of trees, from the bark infusion that made his tongue go numb to the ice cream concocted from an infamously smelly tree. Plus, Lidia Bastianich returns to answer your questions on pasta and pesto; we eat through the…

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Wretched Radio | August 30, 2025 51:59

4M ago51:59

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By Todd Friel

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The Glory Days of In-Flight Dining: From Smorgasbord to Baked Alaska 50:40

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Is airplane food bad on purpose? Historian Richard Foss takes us through the turbulent history of food in flight, from extravagant meals aboard zeppelins, to the flaming Baked Alaskas once served en route to Singapore, to the truth about mediocre food service on planes today. Plus, Rebecca Rupp tells us how carrots won the Trojan War, Amanda Herber…

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Ice Cream Crazy! Live Longer? Hot Chicken Flavor? Blue Moon? 51:05

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For this special bonus episode, we share a story from the Points North podcast about blue moon ice cream—it's a wacky, surprisingly delicious and very blue ice cream flavor beloved in the Midwest. But no one knows what the flavor actually is, and ice cream makers are notoriously secretive about it. We hear about Morgan Springer's quest to find out …

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Wretched Radio | August 23, 2025 52:00

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By Todd Friel

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Saffron Coffee, Black Limes and Tahini Dates: Inside the Gulf Kitchen 50:40

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This week we’re joined by Noor Murad—longtime recipe developer at the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen. She’s here to share cooking inspired by her home country, Bahrain. We talk about the magic of tahini dates, lamb with fenugreek, and spiced rice. Plus, Meathead is back to take more of your barbecue and grilling calls, from the rules of ribs to whether bo…

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Wretched Radio | August 16, 2025 51:59

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By Todd Friel

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Outdoor Summer: Cowboy Cooking, Mail Order Chickens and Freezer Door Daiquiris 51:02

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Cowboys work hard—which means they need to be fed well. This week, hear how ranch cook Kent Rollins feeds cowboys out of his chuck wagon, serving up his famous coffee, steaks and “burger dogs.” Plus, Tove Danovich introduces us to Mike the Headless Chicken, as well as her brood of mail-order chickens and their complex emotional lives; Martha Barnet…

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I Catered Napoleon's Wedding: Carême, the First Celebrity Chef 51:01

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He cooked for the czar of Russia, the Rothschilds, and he even made Napoleon Bonaparte's wedding cake. He invented the chef’s hat and published the first recipes for soufflé and meringue, but you’ve probably never heard his name. This week, it’s the story of the world’s first celebrity chef: Marie-Antoine Carême. Plus, we’re joined by one of today’…

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Welcome to Our Cocktail Hour! Bourbon Myths, Martini Crawls and Mixology Tips 51:04

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It's a very happy hour of Milk Street Radio: Chef Edward Lee returns for a tour of Kentucky’s bourbon distilleries, where the water is sweeter, the barrels are (accidentally!) charred, and the rickhouses are sacred territory. Plus, Gary Shteyngart recounts his wet, dry, twisted and dirty martini tour of New York City; Grant Barrett and Martha Barne…

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Wretched Radio | July 26, 2025 52:00

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By Todd Friel

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100 Years of Food Writing at the New Yorker: M.F.K. Fisher, Calvin Trillin and A.J. Liebling 51:01

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Adam Gopnik takes us on a tour of great food writing from the New Yorker in celebration of the magazine's centennial. We hear A.J. Liebling’s tip for finding a good restaurant in Paris, M.F.K. Fisher’s fantasy about potato chips and Calvin Trillin’s obsession over constructing the perfect bagel. Plus, Matt Goulding shares why paella is a hotbed of …

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Wretched Radio | July 19, 2025 52:00

5M ago52:00

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By Todd Friel