Kevin discusses his documentary about Chef Curtis Duffy, who overcame the murder-suicide that killed his parents and became one of the top chefs in the country. Then Dan matches Kevin's powerful storytelling and journalistic prowess with a tale about eating something really gross called a Slinger.
What’s the correct definition of a slider? Is a hot dog a type of sausage? Is non-alcoholic beer an oxymoron? Dan talks to The Chicago Tribune’s Kevin Pang, an eater and food writer, about issues of food language. Then Kevin lists his top ten types of sausage, and he and Dan cover optimal sausage length, girth, and consumption technique. Plus a reporter in Montana looks into the scientific merits of the five second rule.
Dan asks the audience some trivia questions before the show starts, and the guests debate the merits of eating guac with a spoon. Plus, Lee Frank gives Guactacular competitors some advice.
Dan talks to Lee Frank of Nachos NY, Laura Anderson of Slate, and Chris Salgado of Chris's Awesome Guacamole about guac composition and consumption. They debate optimal chunkiness, the tomato question, proper tortilla chip dip technique, and much more. Plus Dan discusses his latest innovation for preventing chip breakage, and issues a challenge to NPR's Sandwich Monday. Taped on stage at Guactacular 2013 at the Bell House in Brooklyn.
Ian talks about the best sandwich he's ever had, Dan and Mike find out they have a bizarre connection, Dan talks about eating a limited edition sausage called "Popewurst," and Ian and Mike offer Dan some advice.
It turns out something magical can happen when Dan goes into a taping with no plan whatsoever. This episode is free association with guests Ian Chillag and Mike Danforth, producers of NPR's "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me" and hosts of the NPR podcast "How To Do Everything." They cover broccoli as podcast metaphor, tortilla chips, sandwich theory, burger-to-bun ratios at the famed Billygoat Tavern, and more.
Eric talks about strategies for keeping your work station clean while eating at your desk, as well as the merits of leftover pizza and carrots with apple sauce. Plus he shares thoughts on whether websites and blogs should moderate and even ban unruly commenters.
Chicago Tribune columnist Eric Zorn joins Dan to discuss strategies and techniques for bringing your own lunch to work. Eric argues that pretzels are better for a brown bag lunch than potato chips while Dan explains why the sandwich isn't as well suited to this purpose as people think. Plus they talk about what your lunch tells your coworkers about you, and a caller offers advice on dealing with large groups of friends who can't decide where to eat.
Peter offers parenting advice and writing advice, plus additional pizza analysis, comments on Brussels sprouts, and more.
Peter Sagal of NPR's Wait Wait Don't Tell Me joins Dan to discuss growing up as a fat kid, his opinions on Chicago pizza, grilling the perfect burger, how Courtney Love turned him against melted cheese, and much more.