Best Mimi H Podcasts (2025)

1
The Street Vendor Who Sleeps In His Van To Protect His Turf 25:22

4d ago25:22

25:22

Dan Rossi sells hot dogs in the most coveted spot for a street vendor in all of New York City – outside the Metropolitan Museum of Art. He’s been in this location for nearly twenty years, and he’s spent much of that time fighting politicians, public health officials, the NYPD, the Met, and other vendors to hold on to his precious location. In recen…

1
This Butcher Wants You To Eat Less Meat (Reheat) 28:37

7d ago28:37

28:37

How the (part veggie) sausage gets made...Cara Nicoletti comes from a long line of butchers, but her grandfather didn’t want her to follow in his footsteps. It’s physical work, it requires long hours, the pay isn’t great, and the path is even tougher for women. Cara went against her grandfather’s wishes anyway and became a butcher — but she hasn’t …

1
How Jessica B. Harris Redefined American Food 32:45

11d ago32:45

32:45

Over more than fifty years and 16 books, Dr. Jessica B. Harris has uncovered the ways that West African food, and African American people, have fundamentally shaped American cuisine. Her seminal 2011 book, High on the Hog, brought the connection between African and American food into the culinary conversation, and led to the 2021 Netflix series of …

1
The Hidden History of Regional Burgers (Reheat) 32:25

14d ago32:25

32:25

Welcome to our summer cookout spectacular episode! We talk with renowned burger historian George Motz about the history of the hamburger, and about the wide range of regional burgers across the country, many of which are unknown outside their areas. Then we get an incredible burger recipe from Chef Jehangir Mehta, inspired by Indian street food, th…

1
Why A Famous Chef Asked A Critic To Leave His Restaurant 36:29

18d ago36:29

36:29

Chefs tend to have a love-hate relationship with restaurant critics, who have the power to make or break them. Critics try to enter restaurants undetected, while chefs try to spot them, then ensure a flawless experience and a good review. This week, we have a story about one critic’s very unusual encounter with a famous chef, and the bombshell arti…

1
How To Export Coffee In A War (Pt 2) (Reheat) 28:38

21d ago28:38

28:38

As civil war erupted in Yemen, Mokhtar Alkhanshali found himself imprisoned, with $5,000 stuffed in his underwear and his coffee samples confiscated. To get those samples to the biggest specialty coffee expo in North America, he’d have to survive more than one near-death experience. Would his coffee be worth the risk? This is the second half of our…

1
A Battle Over The Secret Of Nooks And Crannies 35:27

25d ago35:27

35:27

Thomas’ English Muffins are so famous for their nooks and crannies that the recipe that produces those iconic features is a closely guarded trade secret. Only a select group of people know it, and as you’ll hear in this week’s show, when one of those people took a job at a competitor, all hell broke loose. This story comes from our friends at Revis…

1
How To Export Coffee In A War (Pt 1) (Reheat) 30:56

28d ago30:56

30:56

Mokhtar Alkhanshali was a doorman in San Francisco when he saw a statue that changed his life. The statue was of an Arab man holding a cup of coffee, and it led Mokhtar to learn about the origins of coffee, in Yemen, where his family is from. While coffee’s roots in Yemen run deep, Mokhtar learned that present-day Yemeni coffee was hard to source, …

1
Can Kolaches Be Bigger Than Texas? 30:19

1M ago30:19

30:19

In parts of Texas, a kolache is about as common as a donut — but it’s relatively unknown outside the Lone Star State. The kolache is a traditional Czech pastry made with a sweetened, yeasty dough and filled with either fruit, cheese or sausage. It got a foothold in Texas after a wave of Czech immigrants came to the state more than a century ago. Th…

1
“The World Eats Here:” Stories From The Queens Night Market (Reheat) 32:17

1M ago32:17

32:17

This was supposed to be the Queens Night Market’s big summer... When the open-air market debuted in 2015, the crowds were massive. Founder John Wang selected food vendors who represented more than 90 countries. And he had one rule for them: no item could cost more than $5. That way the market would be accessible to nearly everyone, and big business…

1
Sebastian Maniscalco’s First Stage Was At The Dinner Table 33:35

1M ago33:35

33:35

Sebastian Maniscalco is one of the top-grossing comedians in America, beloved for his stories about the food-obsessed family he grew up in, and his constant irritation at just about everyone around him. And in 2021, he parlayed his love of food into a new Food Network show, Well Done. Sebastian talks with Dan about what it’s like going from a worki…

1
New Jersey's Pork Roll-Taylor Ham Wars (Reheat) 25:24

1M ago25:24

25:24

A 150-year-old blood feud over processed meat... When the New Jersey State Legislature tried to designate an Official State Sandwich, a fight broke out. Should it be pork roll, egg, and cheese — or Taylor ham, egg, and cheese? Thing is, pork roll and Taylor ham are the same food. New Jerseyans just can't agree on what to call it. And this debate ha…

1
How the Jalapeño Lost Its Heat 32:49

2M ago32:49

32:49

Food critic Brian Reinhart fell in love with spicy Mexican cuisine as a teenager in Texas, but over the years he started to notice that the jalapeños he’d buy in the grocery store were less and less hot. So he called up an expert who studies chili pepper genetics, and she shared a shocking revelation. In this episode from our friends at the Slate p…

1
What Makes Some Seltzers Sparkle? (Reheat) 34:05

2M ago34:05

34:05

How to judge seltzers, plus the science of carbonation... Over the past decade, seltzer has exploded. Sales have doubled, and companies like Coke and Pepsi are buying up brands and creating their own sparkling waters. So in a crowded field, with a drink that doesn't have much flavor to begin with, how do you tell which one is best? We talk with the…

1
How Much Should You Tip For One Muffin? 45:10

2M ago45:10

45:10

Are the vibes at a restaurant more important than the food? Would you rip a bagel and drag a piece through cream cheese, instead of slicing and spreading? Do you tip less when you get bad service? We get into these questions and a lot more in this edition of The Salad Spinner, our rapid fire roundtable discussion of food news and trends, live at Si…

1
Nigella Lawson Orders Food Like A Method Actor (Reheat) 30:34

2M ago30:34

30:34

Nigella Lawson is a domestic goddess of the highest order. She strikes the perfect balance between aspiration — a beautiful garden, perfect lighting — and accessibility — sheet pan dinners and a disdain for pretentiousness. Nigella reveals how her own cooking show persona comes from her discomfort in social situations, and shares the two condiments…

1
How The Real José Cuervo Invented Modern Tequila 33:40

2M ago33:40

33:40

José Cuervo was a real person, and he revolutionized the tequila industry in the early 1900s. He navigated bloody business rivalries, cozied up to a dictator, and survived the Mexican revolution thanks to a daring escape. After that, with his business in shambles, he had to figure out how to sell tequila in Prohibition-era America. His solution wou…

1
Cooking In An Immigrant Time Warp With Maangchi (Reheat) 34:04

2M ago34:04

34:04

In 2007, Maangchi was 50 years old, a single mother of adult kids, and was addicted to online gaming. Her son suggested she post a cooking video to YouTube. Today she has 4 million subscribers and has taught fans all over the world how to cook traditional Korean food. This week she tells us her story, and talks about cooking when you're in an "immi…

1
Hydrox, Oreo, And The Fight For Sandwich Cookie Supremacy 38:48

2M ago38:48

38:48

Hydrox cookies are known as a cheap knock-off of Oreos, to the point that Hydrox has become pop culture shorthand for “second best.” But did you know that Hydrox came first? And that these two cookies have a rivalry that goes back more than 100 years? This week Dan talks with Mackenzie Martin, a host of the KCUR Studios podcast A People’s History o…

1
Jason Mantzoukas Sees Every Meal As A Threat (Reheat) 33:08

2M ago33:08

33:08

Actor and comedian Jason Mantzoukas is known for playing characters that are overzealous, exuberant, and more than a little wacky. But these characters are the exact opposite of how Jason felt growing up — like a “boy made of glass.” Jason has a life-threatening allergy to eggs, and that constant threat has forced him to live a life of vigilance. D…

1
Episode 68 - Heart's Desire 1:34:09

2M ago1:34:09

1:34:09

In this new episode of Waypoint, the Renegades unite with the other contestants to finally finish the third challenge. Try to find a common denominator! Use everyone's strengths to your advantage! Make an impossible choice! Music by Phat Frog Studios, Monplaisir and Pursky

1
Men Have Eating Disorders Too. Why Don’t They Seek Help? 49:17

2M ago49:17

49:17

Public discussions about eating disorders tend to focus on women, and in the past, so have our episodes on the subject. But millions of men also struggle with some form of disordered eating, though they’re far less likely to be diagnosed or to seek treatment. Today we hear stories from three men—in three different stages of life—who have complicate…

1
The Geometry Of Pizza (Reheat) 24:54

3M ago24:54

24:54

A neuroscientist calls in to debate the geometry of pizza, and food science guru Kenji Lopez-Alt explains how woodworking can help us make a better bagel and cream cheese. This episode originally aired on September 16, 2017 , and was produced by Dan Pashman, Anne Saini, and Shoshana Gold, with editing by Dan Charles. The Sporkful team now includes …

1
Roy Choi Can Summon Flavor From His Fingertips 41:30

3M ago41:30

41:30

Roy Choi is a legend in LA. He was one of the first chefs to start cooking out of a food truck, and one of the first to mashup different cuisines in the way that’s become so popular. His Kogi korean beef taco truck was a sensation in LA when he debuted it in 2008 -- it later inspired the movie “Chef,” starring Jon Favreau. Roy wrote a bestselling c…

1
Are All Vodkas The Same? (Reheat) 29:50

3M ago29:50

29:50

Is there really a difference between cheap and expensive vodkas? In this collaboration with NPR's Planet Money, we go on a mission to learn how super premium vodka is made and marketed. Then we make our own, to see how it measures up. This episode originally aired on March 25, 2018, and was produced by Dan Pashman and Anne Saini. The Sporkful team …

1
Episode 67 - Attack on Wacky 1:13:47

3M ago1:13:47

1:13:47

In this new episode of Waypoint, the Renegades face round three and their biggest challenge yet... quite literally! Watch your friends screw up massively! Break a leg! Reshape your surroundings in ways you couldn't imagine! Music by Phat Frog Studios, Soft and Furious, Monplaisir, HoliznaCC0 and Pursky…

1
Comedian Matteo Lane Says ‘Your Pasta Sucks’ 34:01

3M ago34:01

34:01

Comedian Matteo Lane comes from a large Italian family, which gave him his passion for food and his sense of humor. A few years back he started posting cooking videos on social media, and now he’s published Your Pasta Sucks, a collection of recipes, stories, and jokes. The book includes a quiz to tell you if you have an Italian grandmother, as well…

1
Malcolm Gladwell Only Drinks Five Liquids (Reheat) 38:37

3M ago38:37

38:37

Author and podcast host Malcolm Gladwell immigrated to Canada when he was young, the child of an English father and Jamaican mother. He’s always felt like an outsider. He hated maple syrup, in a town that hosts the largest one-day maple syrup festival in the world. That outsider’s perspective served him well as he became a cultural observer, and ov…

1
All Aboard The Pizza Bus! 32:43

3M ago32:43

32:43

Scott Wiener, founder of Scott’s Pizza Tours, has made a name for himself as one of the most knowledgeable and passionate pizza experts in America. (He has the Guinness Record for the world’s largest collection of pizza boxes -- nearly 2,000.) This week, Dan and his family join Scott on one of his famous Sunday tours, in which pizza pilgrims board …

1
Green Apple Bad Apple (Reheat) 33:37

3M ago33:37

33:37

When Dan hit 40, he noticed his body wasn't feeling as good. So recently, he embarked on a journey to change his lifestyle. Today, you'll meet the three people who've inspired him. (This episode is a satire. Please enjoy it as such!) This episode originally aired on March 31, 2019, and was produced by Dan Pashman, Anne Saini, and Ngofeen Mputubwele…

1
“Crying In H Mart” Helped Japanese Breakfast’s Michelle Zauner Grieve Her Mother 29:58

3M ago29:58

29:58

Indie musician Michelle Zauner (leader of the band Japanese Breakfast) always had a complicated relationship with her mother, Chongmi. Michelle was born in Seoul and raised in Oregon, where she never felt like she was fully Korean or American. While it was sometimes hard for mother and daughter to understand each other, the thread that kept them to…

1
Who Invented Flamin’ Hot Cheetos? (Reheat) 30:18

3M ago30:18

30:18

For two decades, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos has been one of the most popular snacks in America. In recent years its legend has grown, as word spread that they were invented by Richard Montañez, a Mexican-American janitor at Frito-Lay who went on to become a company executive. The story made Montañez something of a Latino icon, with two memoirs and a biopi…

1
Is A $1 Slice Of Pizza A Snack? (with Katie Nolan) 34:46

4M ago34:46

34:46

Is wine actually better than beer when watching football? What would a Thanksgiving feast prepared with recipes from Tom Brady’s cookbook taste like? Do you really need to wash your vegetables? We’re tackling your food disputes and hot takes this week, with someone who’s seen plenty of tackling — Katie Nolan. Katie’s hosted shows on ESPN and Fox Sp…

1
A Priest Walks Into A Bar (Reheat) 27:57

4M ago27:57

27:57

What do a great bartender and a great priest have in common? We ask a Catholic priest who moonlights as a mixologist. Plus, Dan revisits a beloved pub from his past to find out what makes a great bar. This episode originally aired on March 6, 2016, and was produced by Dan Pashman and Anne Saini. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morg…

1
Episode 66 - Hope and Despair 1:18:16

4M ago1:18:16

1:18:16

In this new episode of Waypoint, the Renegades try to find out what the true meaning behind the Contest of Champions is... and how to escape it. Rage against the monsters among you! Learn how weak and insignificant you are! Rebel against an overwhelming foe! Music by Phat Frog Studios and Pursky

1
Working With Bourdain And Batali, Laurie Woolever Saw It All 45:50

4M ago45:50

45:50

Laurie Woolever is a food writer in New York, but she’s probably best known for two other jobs she’s held: an assistant to Mario Batali, and an assistant to and collaborator with Anthony Bourdain. Laurie was working with Bourdain when he took his own life in 2018. After his death, she published Bourdain: The Definitive Oral Biography. Now she’s tel…

1
Pizza Legend Patsy Grimaldi (Reheat) 27:28

4M ago27:28

27:28

81-year-old Patsy Grimaldi may be the last person making pizza today who trained under someone who trained at Lombardi's—the first pizzeria in American history. Dan sits down with Patsy and his wife Carol to discuss slice folding technique, the art and science of using a coal oven, what she taught him about pizza, and the scourge of pineapple pizza…

1
Eggs, Raw Milk, And Tariffs, Oh My! 40:11

4M ago40:11

40:11

Why is the bird flu outbreak that’s currently driving up egg prices different from past outbreaks? Are new tariffs about to make your groceries more expensive? And, perhaps most importantly, are Capri-Sun pouches about to disappear? We tackle these hard hitting questions, and a lot more, in this edition of the Salad Spinner, our rapid-fire roundtab…

1
Ask Mimi With Mimi Sheraton (Reheat) 35:24

4M ago35:24

35:24

Mimi Sheraton has seen it all in her 92 years. In this Reheat of our spinoff podcast from 2018, Ask Mimi, the legendary food critic offers advice on food and life to live callers and celebrity guests. The Sporkful's Dan Pashman moderates. In this episode, humorist Mo Rocca joins Mimi and Dan live on stage to ask for help with an issue involving his…

1
Episode 65 - Walls 59:01

4M ago59:01

59:01

In this new episode of Waypoint, the Renegades, separated by inpenetrable walls, have to make an impossible choice with horrific consequences. Hold back your less scrupulous team mates! Move beyond yourself to reach a new level of power! Mourn the fallen! Music by Phat Frog Studios and Pursky

1
The Pitmaster With A Pulpit 30:16

4M ago30:16

30:16

Monday through Saturday, Devin Pickard and his family run Papa KayJoe's BBQ in Centerville, Tennessee. But on Sundays, Devin trades the BBQ pit for the pulpit at Hope Church, the non-denominational congregation where he preaches. In many ways, food is a natural fit for a southern preacher, but there are other, less obvious ways Devin's two professi…

1
Pho The Love Of Slurping Noodles (Reheat) 22:47

4M ago22:47

22:47

We're reheating this episode in honor of Chef Charles Phan, owner of The Slanted Door, who recently died. In 2016, he showed us the right way to eat the Vietnamese noodle soup pho. Then we take a deep dive into the science of soup slurping with a researcher who studies the mechanics of eating. This episode originally aired on February 14, 2016, and…

1
Southern Cooking Icon Edna Lewis Gets Her Due 37:05

5M ago37:05

37:05

Edna Lewis was one of the first Black women to write a successful mainstream cookbook about the South. She talked about seasonality and farm-to-table cooking long before it got trendy, and she tied that approach to the way she grew up in Virginia. So why isn’t Edna Lewis better known? And who exactly was this person who changed the way Americans th…

1
Hot Chicken Is Hot, But Who's Benefiting? (Reheat) 29:28

5M ago29:28

29:28

In the last 15 years, Nashville hot chicken has become a hot trend. But for decades before that, hot chicken was well known among Nashville’s Black community. For generations, you could only get it at the place where it was invented: Prince’s Hot Chicken. Now with attention from the likes of Beyoncé and Guy Fieri, Prince’s has gone from being a nei…

1
A Southern Gas Station Road Trip 39:57

5M ago39:57

39:57

The South is known for fantastic gas station food, and on today’s show, Dan takes a road trip from Birmingham to Memphis to try some out for himself. He travels across Alabama and Mississippi, eating pimento cheese sandwiches, tacos, fried chicken on a stick, sushi, and a very specific regional pasta dish. He also talks with the people behind these…

1
The Search For Perfection In Buffalo Wings And Love (Reheat) 27:34

5M ago27:34

27:34

Dan talks to Matt Reynolds, director and star of the new documentary comedy The Great Chicken Wing Hunt, about the search for perfection in love and Buffalo wings. This episode originally aired on January 26, 2014, and was produced by Dan Pashman and Anne Saini. The Sporkful team now includes Dan Pashman, Emma Morgenstern, Andres O'Hara, Giulia Leo…

1
This Memphis Restaurateur Thrives On Chaos (Live) 41:57

5M ago41:57

41:57

Dan is live on stage in Memphis with famed local restaurateur Karen Blockman Carrier! Karen grew up Orthodox Jewish in Memphis, and she wanted to be a painter. But after a chance meeting with a caterer in a smoke-filled bathroom stall in New York City, she decided to focus on food. Karen shares the twists and turns of her life, from a disastrous da…

1
Two Call-In Smorgasbords (Reheat) 46:44

5M ago46:44

46:44

We're revisiting two "Call-In Smorgasbord" episodes from 2011, which were all about settling scores, issuing opinions, and learning about your kitchen innovations. In part one, we tackle a debate between an engaged couple, both philosophers, who want help answering the existential question: "Is it soup?" In part two, we take calls from a couple of …

1
The Joy Of Recipe Writing 34:06

5M ago34:06

34:06

Why do some recipes just work while others are hit-or-miss? And is there a better way to write recipes overall? Last week we talked about how some recipes deceive you into thinking they’re easier than they are. This week we look at what makes a great recipe. Dan talks with Chandra Ram, who judged the prestigious IACP Awards, where she put recipes f…

1
Eating Throughout History (Reheat) 23:08

5M ago23:08

23:08

What did dinosaur eggs taste like? In what shape would Jane Austen likely have had her dessert served to her? What does one of the world's leading paleontologists think of the paleo diet? How do you get maggots out of boiled sheep in the Gobi Dessert? How do you make ice cream on an uninhabited island in Madagascar in the summer? And how many ancie…

Podcasts Worth a Listen

Mimi H Podcasts

Podcasts Worth a Listen

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