Proof

For the next couple of weeks on our podcast, Proof from America’s Test Kitchen, we’ll bring you the back stories behind some of our most iconic recipes from the last 25 years. Hosted by longtime ATK cast member Jack Bishop. Discover the 500 Recipes that Changed the Way America Cooks in our 25th Anniversary Cookbook. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a matter of months, Kelli Nevarez went from first-grade music teacher to pitmaster of the Texas Monthly Top 50 barbecue joint La Vaca Barbecue. Reporter Eliza Rothstein shares the story of how Nevarez is reshaping the future of barbecue. Craving more barbecue tips? Join our grilling expert, Morgan Bolling, as she takes a deep dive into smoke rings. This podcast miniseries is an audio companion to a forthcoming book from America's Test Kitchen called When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes from Every Corner of the American South. You can preorder the book where books are sold: IndieBoundAmerica's Test Kitchen StoreAmazonSpecial thanks to our intern Jonny Leonidas who helped make this series a success. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Transporting a Southern tradition to the North might seem like a tall order, but Cook's Country grilling expert Morgan Bolling knows just how to do it with her annual whole hog roast. Producer Alex Curran-Cardarelli shares the history of whole-hog roasts and Morgan's own story of growth and resilience. Try a taste of Morgan's home state with her recipe for North Carolina Barbecue Pork. This podcast miniseries is an audio companion to a forthcoming book from America's Test Kitchen called When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes from Every Corner of the American South. You can preorder the book where books are sold: IndieBoundAmerica's Test Kitchen StoreAmazonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ninfa Laurenzo, or Mama Ninfa as many called her, was a trailblazer and an icon in the city of Houston, Texas. She helped introduce a Tex-Mex classic to the United States with her business savvy, food knowledge, and understanding of people. In this episode, we learn about the life that made Ninfa Laurenzo into the legend she's known as today. Reported by Eliza Rothstein. Make your own Tacos al Carbon with our tried and tested recipe. This podcast miniseries is an audio companion to a forthcoming book from America's Test Kitchen called When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes from Every Corner of the American South. You can preorder the book where books are sold: IndieBoundAmerica's Test Kitchen StoreAmazonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In a world where barbecuing is considered "dude food" and men's work, Helen Turner is an institution. She's steadily nurtured her style of Tennessee barbecue the traditional way; by using only smoke to flavor her meats over a fire pit. But this style of barbecue is back-breaking work, and Helen may consider retiring. But is she ready to let go? And who would she pass Helen's Bar BQ down to? Find out on the first episode of our miniseries: When Southern Women Cook: The Barbecue Trailblazers. This episode was reported by Maya Kroth. This podcast miniseries is an audio companion to a forthcoming book from America's Test Kitchen called When Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes from Every Corner of the American South. You can preorder the book where books are sold: IndieBoundAmerica’s Test Kitchen StoreAmazonSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For far too long, the art of barbecue and grilling have been considered “men’s work.” But women were cooking with fire since the earliest days of American history, too. In our next miniseries on Proof, hosted by Cook's Country magazine's Toni Tipton-Martin and Morgan Bolling, we profile four women who have been stoking embers and bringing the heat to Southern cuisine. The first episode drops Thursday, August 1! This series is also an audio companion to a forthcoming book from America’s Test Kitchen called Women Southern Women Cook: History, Lore, and 300 Recipes from Every Corner of the American South. You can preorder the book where books are sold: IndieBoundAmazonAmerica’s Test Kitchen StoreSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The cocktail emerges from the dark ages and enters the modern era. In this episode: We meet more innovative mixologists pushing the bounds of what a cocktail can be. And we'll explore the latest installment in the cocktail's long evolution: the zero proof movement. What should you be looking for when buying non-alcoholic beverages and cocktails? Check out our review of Non-Alcoholic Spirits and Cocktails. Further Reading: "After DUI, she quit drinking and opened a bar" by Alexa Juliana Ard, Washington Post "AN INTERVIEW WITH AQXYL STORMS, OWNER OF MINUS MOONSHINE" by Sam Bail, Third Place Bar blog A Proper Drink by Robert Simonson The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (Edited by David Wondrich & Noah Rothbaum) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The 1950s to the 1990s are often dubbed as the cocktail's Dark Ages where drinks like Long Island Iced Teas and Midori Sours reined supreme. The drinks from this time are often reviled or ridiculed, but they made important contributions to cocktail history, too. In this episode: How TGI Fridays, Madonna, and the Cosmopolitan helped define this era of the American cocktail. Further Reading: A Proper Drink by Robert Simonson "1970s Ockctails & Disco Drinks" Difford's Guide "History of the Nightclub" American Nightlife Association "How TGI Fridays Has Influenced Modern Craft Cocktail Culture" in The Thrillist by Kevin Alexander Spirits, Sugar, Water, Bitters by Derek Brown with Robert Yule Straight Up or on the Rocks: The story of the American cocktail by William Grimes "TGI Fridays Was Once The Hottest Bar In America—What Happened?" in Delish by Hannah Selinger "The Legacy of Joe Baum" in Edible Manhattan by Nancy Matsumoto The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (Edited by David Wondrich & Noah Rothbaum) "The Soviet Union Paid Pepsi With Vodka and Warships in Decades-Long Barter" in Vinepair by Ashlie Hughes (Illustrated by Gerry Selian) "This is the Story of the Rainbow Room" in Punch by Joshua David Stein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Was Prohibition really the Gilded Age utopia that it's made out to be? In this episode: Cocktail innovation happening in unlikely places under unlikely circumstances. We feature the Bees Knees and the Bloody Mary. Further Reading: A Spiritous Journey by Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller "A Study of the Great Immoralities: Saloons in Chicago Before WWI" Ohio State University "Bootleggers and Bathtub Gin" The Mob Museum Lost Recipes of Prohibition: Notes From a Bootlegger's Manual by Matthew Rowley Prohibition's Greatest Myths: The Distilled Truth About America's Anti-Alcohol Crusade, Edited by Michael Lewis & Richard F. Hamm Smashing the Liquor Machine: A Global History of Prohibition by Mark Lawrence Schrad "The Dangers of Common Ownership in an Uncommon Industry" by Jessica Starns Attorney At Law, LLC "The FBI and the American Gangster, 1924-1938" The Federal Bureau of Investigation "The Man in the Green Hat" The United States Senate See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How did the Industrial Revolution, immigration--and maybe Winston Churchill's mother--give rise to the Golden Age of cocktails in America? We explore the story of the Martini, the Manhattan, and the Daiquiri. Make yourself a cool Gin Martini with our customizable recipe. Further Reading: A Spirituous Journey: A History of Drink by Jared Brown and Anistatia Miller Difford's Guide for Discerning Drinkers Imbibe! by David Wondrich Rise of Industrial America, 1876 to 1900, Library of Congress SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY DIGITAL EXHIBITS Spirits, Sugar, Water,Bitters: How the Cocktail Conquered the World by Derek Brown with Robert Yule "The First American Hotels," JSTOR by Livia Gershon The Manhattan: The Story of the First Modern Cocktail with Recipes by Philip Greene The New Craft of the Cocktail by Dale DeGroff The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails edited by David Wondrich & Noah Rothbaum "This influential Cuban bartender wants to preserve the elegant tradition of the island’s cantineros" Washington Post by M. Carrie Allan See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The Cricket World Cup started this week, and fans in New York are celebrating the wickets, the fast bowlers, and biryani. How did the rice dish become the meal of the match? Journalist Kunwar Khuldune Shahid reports. (100 Proof will be back on June 20.) Make Biryani at home with our tested recipe. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Where does the word "cocktail" come from? Who invented it? We explore these questions and the backstories of two drinks from America's early days as a nation: The Mint Julep and the Sazerac. (Special thanks to Joe Gitter and Yiorgos Tsivranidis for their voice acting in this episode.) Try making our Mint Julep and Sazerac recipes at home! Further Reading: "A Brief History of Bitters" Smithsonian Magazine by Peter Smith Difford's Guide for Discerning Drinkers Drink & Learn "The Ice King was a Tudor" Wall Street Journal by Eric Felten Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs & Juice - Cocktails from Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin "NEW ORLEANS: A TIMELINE OF ECONOMIC HISTORY" Tulane University by Richard Campanella The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (Edited by David Wondrich & Noah Rothbaum) Travels of four years and a half in the United States of America by John Davis Whenham Great Pond by John C. Phillips from The Peabody Museum, Salem, Massachusetts "Who Is the Real Father of the Cocktail?" The Daily Beast by Philip Greene See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week, we kick off Proof's first-ever miniseries. Episode 1 explores how we got to our modern cocktail renaissance. Why were cocktails in the 90s and early 2000s shells of the well-crafted drinks we see today? It took a renegade group of bartenders and cocktail enthusiasts to resurrect drinks from the cocktail's heyday. Hosted by Cook's Country Editor-in-Chief Toni Tipton-Martin, and reported by Proof's managing producer, Yumi Araki. Looking for a new cocktail shaker? We've tested over a dozen types to find the best options that will fit your home bar. Further Reading: A Proper Drink by Robert Simonson Difford's Guide for Discerning Drinkers Juke Joints, Jazz Clubs & Juice - Cocktails from Two Centuries of African American Cookbooks by Toni Tipton-Martin Straight Up or On the Rocks - The Story of the American Cocktail by William Grimes Ted Saucier's Bottoms Up - Ted Saucier "The born-in-Detroit cocktail that has spawned countless variations," Washington Post by M. Carrie Allan The New Craft of the Cocktail: Everything You Need to Know to Think Like a Master Mixologist by Dale DeGroff The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails (Edited by David Wondrich & Noah Rothbaum) Special thanks to the following recording studios: Brooklyn Podcasting Studio Signature Sound Studios See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Even before the Stone Age, our ancestors were thinking about what happens when we combine one flavor with another, both in the primordial kitchen and behind the prehistoric bar. Fast-forward to today, and the carefully crafted cocktail is all around us. But what if we told you it wasn’t always this way? Welcome to Proof's first-ever miniseries: 100 Proof: The Journey of the American Cocktail. Over six episodes, we’ll look at the rise and fall--and subsequent resurgence--of the American cocktail, and contemplate what forces led to our modern cocktail renaissance. We'll also share some recipes along the way. Hosted by Cook's Country Editor-In-Chief Toni Tipton-Martin, and reported by Proof's managing producer, Yumi Araki. Episode 1 drops May 23. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Can saliva change the way our food tastes? Does it affect our cooking? In our Season 16 finale, reporter Jacklyn Kim digs into the unexpected ingredient that we end up adding to every meal. Proof will be back later in May with a 6-part miniseries on the history of cocktails! Until then, stimulate your taste buds and break out the cast iron with the Test Kitchen recipe for Cast Iron Margherita Pizza. Get a 14-day free trial for an America’s Test Kitchen digital subscription here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1951, the Explorer's Club hosted an extravagant banquet that had 250,000-year-old woolly mammoth on the menu. The dinner raised eyebrows back then as it does now. What does it mean to seek out "exotic" foods? Why do we do it? And was it really wooly mammoth that was on the menu? Reporter Doug Mack digs in. Get a 14-day free trial for an America’s Test Kitchen digital subscription here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We're headed to the riverbanks of the Magdalena River to experience a Colombian tradition of eating stew, called the paseo de olla. Journalist Camilo Garzón shares how the mighty river and the stew have been at the center of Colombia's past and present. Hear more of Camilo's work at Cuentero Productions. Invite some friends over to enjoy Colombia's signature three-meat stew, Sancocho at home with our tested recipe. Get a 14-day free trial for an America’s Test Kitchen digital subscription here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

What happens when you have to boycott your favorite food? Reporter Makepeace Sitlhou travels to her home to North East India to confront this reality with her favorite dish: The Manipuri Thali. Heads up: This episode includes descriptions of violence. Get a 14-day free trial for an America’s Test Kitchen digital subscription here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We kick off Season 16 with a new episode that traces Horiatiki, or the Greek salad's journey from Athens to American tables. Our reporter digs into how tax evasion shaped the humble Horiatiki, and how a star ingredient wasn't incorporated until much later than you might think. Check our top picks for Feta Cheese to make your own Horiatiki at home. Get a 14-day free trial for an America’s Test Kitchen digital subscription here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Before we return next week with new episodes of Proof, we're sharing an episode of Your Mama’s Kitchen, a podcast about cuisine and culture, ingredients and identities, and the meals and memories that make us who we are. In this episode, host Michele Norris interviews TV’s funniest redhead, Conan O’Brien. The comedian talks about how he first learned to be funny at the kitchen table. We also learn about why Halloween is his favorite holiday, and he reveals his favorite childhood meal: fried ham. Learn more about Your Mama’s Kitchen here. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.