America's Test Kitchen
Proof
We take America's Test Kitchen's inquisitive and relentless approach to telling unexpected, funny, and thought-provoking narratives about food and drink. This is not a recipe show. And this is not a show about celebrity chefs or what they like to eat. Proof plunges into history, culture, science, and the psyche to uncover the hidden backstories that feed your food-obsessed brain. A production of America's Test Kitchen.
Author
America's Test Kitchen
Category
Podcast website
Latest episode
Feb 5, 2026
Where to listen?
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Episodes
Yelp Therapy 23.04.2020 44:13
Bryce has put his blood, sweat, and tears into building his business, a Williamsburg restaurant called Black Flamingo. This plant-based Latin-inspired restaurant is home to a basement disco, and widely celebrated tacos and cocktails. So when Tanya leaves a scathing Yelp review about her bad experience at the restaurant, Bryce is discouraged. A Yelp rating is proven to affect restaurant profit, whi...
Raiders of the Lost Yeast 16.04.2020 51:18
Seamus Blackley is the creator of the Xbox. He’s also an ancient Egypt enthusiast and baking hobbyist. Yes, you heard that right. Via Twitter, he assembled a rag-tag team of specialists: an archeologist (Dr. Serena Love) and a biologist (Rich Bowman). Together, they created a grand scheme: extract dormant yeast from the nooks and crannies of ancient Egyptian pots stored in the vaults of the world’...
Atomic Peanuts and Gamma Grapefruit 09.04.2020 49:34
In 1927, more than 50 years before the first GMO crop hit the market, a scientist named Louis Stadler shot X-rays at barley. The result was a random mutation—a change in the color of the plant. While not particularly useful, it showed that with radiation, scientists could roll the genetic dice, press fast-forward on natural selection, and with enough rolls, maybe even uncover something new- a usef...
Season 4 Starts April 9 02.04.2020 4:26
4,500 year old yeast, atomic peanuts, and a cheating scandal at a chili cook-off. Season 4 goes even deeper to reveal what’s on our plates and how it got there. Tune in for Season 4 of Proof beginning April 9. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
[Bonus] The Bitter Southerner: Waffle House 20.03.2020 49:21
We want to share with you a podcast from our friends at The Bitter Southerner called "The Ways of Waffle House" that attempts to answer a large question: How could a 2,000-store restaurant chain become, to Southerners, something more than just another place to eat? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn...
Introducing Mystery Recipe, a New Podcast from America's Test Kitchen Kids 16.03.2020 20:10
Mystery Recipe is a new podcast from America's Test Kitchen Kids! With new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, this short-form podcast will help kids AND their grown-ups uncover the fun, fantastical, and fascinating sides of food. Each week will have a different ingredient theme, which builds to the grand finale: a mystery recipe cook-along. Get excited about cooking (and eating) by digg...
[Bonus] Introducing Clearstory from This Old House 06.02.2020 33:08
Our friends at This Old House have a new podcast called Clearstory. Hosted by Kevin O'Connor, Clearstory is a podcast that sheds light on the surprising stories behind our homes. The episode we bring you today, "Wood: Dead in the Water?", is all about old-growth wood found at the bottom of riverbeds that's used for beautiful furniture and flooring. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy a...
Oyster Mushroom Revolution 02.01.2020 38:29
In Rwanda 26-year-old Christian has turned his mom’s backyard into an oyster mushroom cultivation lab, with mushrooms sprouting here and there. And he’s not alone. For a country still known internationally for its 1994 genocide, Rwanda’s booming mushroom industry reflects hope for a brighter future. In Rwanda, is a better tomorrow just a mushroom farm away? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/...
Underground Aams Trade, Part 2 26.12.2019 32:11
In part two of this investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar explores the underbelly of the secretive mango distribution industry. He uncovers the historical and economic reasons that importing mangoes from Pakistan has been so difficult — from regulation to irradiation. And he finally traces product to supplier. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https...
Underground Aams Trade, Part 1 19.12.2019 36:09
Pakistani-American communities in the U.S. rely on dealers on WhatsApp to gain access to their most coveted treasure: Pakistani mangoes. And they pay a premium for it. In part one of this two-part investigation, reporter Ahmed Ali Akbar searches for answers. Why are Pakistani mangoes so hard to find? And why is the Pakistani community resorting to deals on WhatsApp to procure them? See Privacy Pol...
Jamon, Y'all 12.12.2019 39:47
In 2015, Will Harris, a farmer in southwest Georgia, partnered with Spanish entrepreneur father and son to bring Iberian pigs to the United States. The climate would be different (from hot, dry Spain to wet, humid Georgia) and so would the pigs' diet (they would eat Georgia pecans instead of acorns), but Harris figured this expensive gamble could pay off. Can jamón ibérico can be reduced to a simp...
Tracing Jambalaya 05.12.2019 46:42
Reporter Kayla Stewart attempts to trace Gulf Coast dish Jambalaya back to its rumored roots in West Africa’s Jollof Rice. Kayla’s journey to find a connection between the two dishes takes her from her mother’s Houston kitchen to the streets of Accra. But instead of a link, she finds that the history of African American food ways cannot be separated from the influences of slavery and colonialism....
Why Not Eat Bugs? 21.11.2019 42:28
A South African Entrepreneur, Leah Bessa, discovers that processing Black Soldier Fly larvae produces a milk-like substance, dubbed Entomilk. Can Leah’s entomilk ice cream succeed as a dairy-alternative? Although South African populations have a traditional history of bug-eating, can modern society overcome its ick-factor to take advantage of all bugs have to offer? See Privacy Policy at https://a...
Prepping for the Worst 14.11.2019 40:15
In a deep dive into “prepper” culture, we learn what makes up the ultimate survival cuisine. We investigate the motivation of this subculture that stocks up on non-perishables for the end-of-times. Should the desire to survive be reduced to a quirky paranoia, or is the quest to prepare for survival in dire circumstances more noble than we give it credit for? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com...
The True Cost of Mezcal 07.11.2019 42:59
Mezcal has recently enjoyed a spike in popularity, which brought a welcome surge to the Oaxacan economy, the southern Mexican state where Mezcal is produced. But is the demand for Mezcal outgrowing the supply? What can be done to ensure it survives for years to come without sacrificing the agave plants and land that sustain it? Can mezcal avoid becoming the next tequila? See Privacy Policy at http...
Season 3 Starts November 7th 17.10.2019 4:33
An underground mango industry, the hidden costs of your favorite Mezcal, and ice cream made from bugs. Season 3 goes deep to challenge our ideas about what we eat and uncover where it comes from. Tune in for Season 3 of Proof beginning November 7. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad...
Can You Prevent Brain Freezes? 03.10.2019 9:42
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: does eating ice cream slower prevent a brain freeze? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can Pistachios Spontaneously Combust? 26.09.2019 12:02
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: do pistachios spontaneously combust? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Food Should I Wish For On A Deserted Island? 19.09.2019 12:24
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: If I was stranded on a deserted island, what's the best food to wish for? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
What Weird Things Did Presidents Eat? 12.09.2019 17:32
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: What are the weirdest things US presidents ate? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can You Bake A Cookie In Space? 05.09.2019 17:23
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: If you flung a cookie dough ball into space, how long until it bakes into a cookie? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why Is Ranch So Addictive? 29.08.2019 16:08
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: why is ranch so addictive? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Are We All Victims of Food Fraud? 22.08.2019 12:23
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: In a world fraught with food fraud, how do you know what you're buying? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Can You Get Drunk Off Kombucha? 15.08.2019 18:01
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: How much kombucha would it take to get you drunk? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Is Cereal Soup? 08.08.2019 16:31
In these bonus episodes, we try to answer your weird food questions. This week: Is cereal soup? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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