Meat + Three

Seeds are the source and symbol of life. In our modern food system, with fewer and fewer people physically involved in the practice of agriculture, it’s easy to forget that our sustenance comes from the heroics of these persistent organisms.  With spring just around the corner, we’re sowing the seeds of knowledge and empathy through four unique stories. We dig into why some seed sellers’ shortage...

It’s the final episode of our series on global trade, and we’ve got our eyes set on the future. In the past, trade was hindered by distance and limited communication, which today’s internet and fast travel routes have helped to mediate. These days, trade is confronted by new issues: global inequalities that force people to migrate, machines so efficient they’re making human labor redundant, and al...

So far, our series on global trade has focused on ingredients that are either sweet or spicy, and that shaped international trade routes. As our stories make clear, there are ups and downs when talking about the globalization of our foodways. So this week, we go from sugar and spice to bites! We’re going to talk about the role that animals have played in the history of the food trade. Then, we hav...

We continue our global trade mini-series with one of the most distinguishing elements of a cuisine: spice. Where would any regional food culture be without its unique blend of spices? Where would Italian food be without oregano, or Thai food without the bird’s eye chili? Historically, spices are associated with a nation, a region, or perhaps a dish. Yet, in our contemporary world, the average home...

This week we take a break from our series on trade to present one of HRN's newest shows, Let's Talk About Food. Hosted by Louisa Kasdon, LTAF is a live storytelling event; because everyone has a food story. From our first mouthful of applesauce in front of​ ​our adoring family, to our first bite into a jalapeño pepper, and everything in between, food is at the heart of the human experience. We lo...

The desire for sweetness is biologically hardwired in humans, according to Dr. Gary Beauchamp, longtime former director and president of the Monell Chemical Senses Center . It is an evolutionary response that developed way back when sweet things were hard to find in the natural environment. Now, we can find sweets just about anywhere .   Part of our global trade mini-series, this episode focuses o...

Trade is innately human. Whether it’s baseball cards, lunchbox items or recipes, people have been exchanging goods, services, practices, and ideas since prehistoric times. Driven by curiosity and power, or most commonly money, trade has created the modern, globalized world we know today. To better understand the past, present, and future of trade’s huge web of interconnectivity, we’re traveling ba...

This week we're presenting the first episode of Back Bar , a rollicking deep dive into the events, phenomenon, relationships and human foibles that shaped the world’s most iconic drinks. Hosted by food and beverage writer Greg Benson and featuring guest appearances from industry luminaries like Derek Brown, Robert Simonson and Sother Teague, Back Bar’s vaudevillian approach to storytelling is a re...

What policies and movements will shape food production in 2021 and beyond? In our year in review, we feature two conversations with Lisa Held – one with Jenna Liut on Eating Matters about the environmental and agricultural implications of four years under the Trump administration, and another with Katy Keiffer on What Doesn't Kill You, about what to expect from the Biden administration on climate...

Inspired by the passage of Measure 109 in Oregon and Initiative 81 in Washington D.C., this week we're exploring the state of drugs – particularly the agricultural, scientific and culinary aspects of them. Tash Kimmel explores the science behind cannabis and cravings. Ryder Bell ponders the rise and fall of coca, and how the global war on cocaine shrouded the medicinal crop in infamy. Kat Johnson...

Today we’re spotlighting Episode 1 of the new HRN series, Cooking in Mexican from A to Z.  They’re mother and son, but also award-winning celebrity chefs, restaurateurs, and cookbook authors. Aarón Sánchez and Zarela Martinez will take you on a culinary journey featuring regional ingredients that are the soul of Mexican cuisine. From chilis to chocolate and everything in between, Aarón, Zarela and...

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, we’ve been thinking about the many ways this holiday bolsters colonial narratives, as well as opportunities to push back on them. This episode spotlights individual people, dishes and ingredients that are decolonizing our food system. We’re looking at our Thanksgiving plates and beyond to explore efforts to reclaim food sovereignty in Native American cult...

This entire year has been one huge change after another, forcing us all to take a deeper look at how we used to live and wonder what the future holds. Our stories this week explore how society is rapidly changing before our eyes. Dylan Heuer looks at how Covid-19 is affecting the way mothers balance work and life. An excerpt from HRN’s Queer the Table featuring Soleil Ho shows how assumptions abou...

We are living through uncertain and unprecedented times. What better way to find a bit of escape and solace than through food? Comfort food is a broad concept that means different things to different people around the world. This week’s episode starts with a look at the history and meaning of comfort food. We learn about a Danish concept revolving around sharing quality time with loved ones over a...

This week on Meat and Three we’re embracing the spooky spirit of Halloween. From zombies to witches, we’re exploring the odd… the occult… and the taboo in the world of food. First, we’ll delve head-first into real-life brain eating with organ meat expert, and cookbook co-author Michael Harlen Turkell. Then, we’ll learn about the New York rat infestations spurred by Covid-19 with rodentologist Dr....

During the pandemic, outdoor and indoor spaces are being reconceptualized to better suit new ways of living, working, and eating. In this episode we’ll explore the ways familiar spaces are shifting to become more hygienic, more profitable, and more accessible. We start with a story about the expansion of outdoor dining into New York City’s sidewalks and streets. Then we travel to outer space to le...

Interacting with our food goes far beyond just tasting it. A typical trip to the grocery store can involve smelling and feeling your produce, giving it a tap to see how it sounds, and taking a good look at it before you add it to your shopping cart. This week, each story hones in on one of the four senses that accompany taste. We wax poetic on the importance of feeling your food and wonder whether...

This week, we’re exploring the creative strides being taken — both on the large-scale and individual-level — to avoid excess waste. Alicia Qian visits a driveway in San Jose, California that has become a hub for stocking up on vegetables and restoring community. Then, Tash Kimmell heads to Oakland, where a grocery store and cafe is using a circular economy model to promote sustainable shopping. In...

Fall’s arrival is accompanied by colorful leaves and cool weather, as well as a new season of food podcasts here at HRN. This episode of Meat and Three is jam-packed with sneak peeks into our newest series. We’ll journey across the U.S. and around the world with chefs, entrepreneurs, and a former state senator. Each show is dedicated to giving us a taste of a unique and rich corner in the world of...

A couple weeks ago we covered school lunches for our adult listeners, but this week we let the kids take over! Time for Lunch is HRN's first-ever kids' show, and this episode is all about going back to school.  What do kids in Japan have for lunch at school? When in history were school lunches first served? Do you like to have pizza on Fridays? It’s that time of year where kids all around the worl...

Whether it’s for a Rosh Hashanah brisket or an end-of-summer barbecue, more and more people are buying meat from local suppliers. This week on Meat and Three, we spotlight the people who prepare our meat before it reaches our plates. We hear from butchers who are working to introduce consumers to new cuts and create more localized food supply chains. We investigate an innovation in retail that all...

On this week's episode of Meat and Three, we explore what happens when food is consumed through a screen. From a simple TV or computer monitor to the more complex VR goggles, the sensory experience of food is fundamentally shifted with the mediation of a virtual barrier.  Kat Johnson first ponders the significance (or lack thereof) of fruit cameos on cable news. Next, Tash Kimmel looks at how urba...

On this week's episode of Meat and Three, we are heading back to school. This year, the first day at school looks a lot different. From daycares to universities, every institution is operating under a different model – and that includes their plans for how students will eat. We bring you reports from cafeterias, take a look at how schools are supporting students who require subsidized lunch, and e...

From piping hot pizza to the satisfyingly boxed Chinese food, takeout and delivery have been a part of our lives for over a century. This year, however, delivery went from a convenience to a necessity. Covid-19 forced restaurants and supermarkets to adapt quickly. The country has been faced with the question: How can we get food safely and efficiently? One answer has been delivery.  First, we take...

Over the summer, consumers called out food companies for racist imagery, names, and political positions. We saw a wave of hashtags, open letters, and boycotts – and in many cases, companies were pressured to make changes. For our season eight opener, we step into the tumultuous landscape of food branding. Two stories this week focus on how high schoolers are holding brands accountable – from a Cal...