Every Day is a Food Day – Details, episodes & analysis

Hi Listeners! We know you love all our food crime and scandal stories - so how about some wine crimes? We're  excited to introduce you to the new podcast Vinfamous, from Wine Enthusiast magazine!

As we say, every food you love has a story. That goes for every drink you love, too - especially wine. These stories reveal hidden histories and techniques, flavors and passions. Sometimes they unravel our darkest desires in stories that can only be described as Vinfamous. Brought to you by Wine Enthusiast and hosted by Ashley Smith, each episode dissects the underbelly of the wine world and what it means when the product of love and care becomes the source of greed, arson, and even murder. Follow the podcast and listen every other week as the show delves into the twists and turns behind the all-time most shocking wine crimes. Listen to the trailer, then check out the show!

While you're in a boozy mood,  listen to the Every Day is a Food Day episode "Wine Bottles and Cans (and just clap your hands.)" 

For more content from Wine Enthusiast, visit winemag.com.

It's our Season Finale, Listeners! And it's also the holidays! So we're celebrating the end of 2022 with one of our favorite festive foods: GINGERBREAD! Our Chef-Creator Lia Ballentine kicks things off with a brief history of gingerbread, the medieval monk that helped make it popular in Europe, and how food hero Amelia Simmons introduced the first American gingerbread recipes in her pioneering cookbook, “American Cookery.” Plus, Lia tells us about the best days to celebrate the sweet and spicy treat, and the unbelievable gingerbread houses you can see at the National Gingerbread House Competition in Asheville, North Carolina. In the Deep Dish, our Foodlosopher Anna Van Valin asks the question: why are we so obsessed with gingerbread houses? She explores how the Brothers Grimm baked gingerbread house imagery into popular culture with the story of Hansel and Gretel. She also tells us about how gingerbread houses inspired an actual architectural movement, the many fantasy gingerbread-house-insipred attractions that range from whimsical to creepy, and the connection between gingerbread houses and...Mar-a-Lago?? Ready to snap into this episode? Then join us as we indulge in all things gingerbread!

Explore more from the show:

• Watch the special “Craft in America” episode about the National Gingerbread House Competition.
• Sing along to “I Love a Fat Man” with Chita Rivera as the Gingerbread Witch.  
• Explore this abandoned gingerbread castle amusement park in NJ with some ghost hunters. 

Connect with us:

• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!
• For more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS) follow us at @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook or check out our webpage.
• Join our mailing list for extra content and to keep up with all the exciting things we have planned for this season.

Anna and Lia have gotten themselves into a sticky situation - because this episode is all about honey!

First, Lia Ballentine, our Chef-Creator, tells us about the food holidays honoring our favorite all-natural sweetener like National Honey Month, as well as the hard-working bees that produce it. She also shares a bit of Norse mythology surrounding the origin of mead (the original mythical ingredients included blood and knowledge), and she reveals a swarm of famous women you may not know were beekeepers, like Michelle Obama and…Maria Von Trapp? Plus, hear about the summer Lia spent painting the backs of actual live bees (for science!).

In the Deep Dish, our Foodlosopher Anna Van Valin revisits one of our favorite topics: food crimes! She gives us the buzz on how a dramatic decline in bee populations has led to some to take desperate (and scandalous) measures - like the international honey tampering fraud scheme nicknamed “Honeygate,” and shocking hive heists, where beehive bandits actually steal hives for profit! But first, and most importantly, we ask: is Winnie the Pooh…okay??? Enjoy this SWEET episode! And let’s save the bees!

More info from the show:
- Watch the full video of Angelina Jolie’s “Women for Bees” initiative in partnership with UNESCO here.
- See a bee detective catch a thief on Vice News here.
- Learn all about mead and how hive theft affects beekeeping on this episode of The Drinking Horn Meadcast.

Connect with us!

• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!
• For more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS) follow us at @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook or check out our webpage.
• Join our mailing list for extra content and to keep up with all the exciting things we have planned for this season.

Welcome back, Listeners and (food) Lovers! Cue the love songs, because romance (or something like it) is in the air as we kick off Season 3 talking about Aphrodisiac Foods! In this episode, Lia Ballentine, our Chef-Creator, digs into the most popular Valentine’s Day foods, including a sexy pasta dish that looks suspiciously like a “noodle ring,” why steak is considered more romantic than pork or poultry, and how boxes of chocolate became such an in-demand Valentine’s Day gift. Plus, she reveals the terrible truth: “Friends” has been lying to us about lobsters for years. In the Deep Dish, our Foodlosopher Anna Van Valin asks the all-important question: is there really such a thing as an aphrodisiac food? She gives us an epic list of foods around the world considered aphrodisiacs and explores the reasons why we think these foods get us in the mood. She also warns us about dangerous supplements you might spot next to bodega cash registers, and tells us why the FDA does NOT want us to eat oysters. (If you love oysters, we’re sorry in advance.) Welcome to Season 3! And Happy Valentine’s Day!

Join Anna's podcasting tips list and snag her freebie: "Top 5 Mistakes Podcasters Make Before They Launch: How to avoid making them (and how to fix it if you already have."

More info from the show:

• Watch the infamous clip of Phoebe Buffay lying to us about lobsters. 
• Read what marine biologist Curt Brown has to say about why lobsters are f-boys here.
• Enjoy this short story/brochure/one-act-play from the FDA about a man named Carlos who learns about the dangers of eating raw oysters. It’s dramatic!

Connect with us!

• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!
• For more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS) follow us at @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook or check out our webpage.
• Join our mailing list for extra content and to keep up with all the exciting things we have planned for this season.

The wine! The pastries! Co-host Anna Van Valin is back from a monthlong adventure in Portugal, and she’s giving us her Top 5 food (and drink!) experiences in this special episode. We get the lowdown on local flavors, hear about dreamy Portuguese “petiscos” from hidden cafés tucked away in ancient walled cities, and find out why some of the cobblestone streets in Lisbon are so darn sticky. Anna also reveals why the best pastries come from convents, some fascinating facts about port wine (did you know there’s four kinds??) and introduces us to the infamous “aguardiente” — also known as “firewater”! But first, co-host Lia Ballentine shares the latest snack news from Yumday, and Anna and Lia announce their first in-person Food Day meetup in Austin, Texas — and you’re invited! Meet Anna and Lia in ATX on November 17th and help celebrate Food Day’s 1st birthday!

Explore from the show:

• RSVP to Food Day Pod’s 1st Birthday meetup here
• See photos and videos from Portugal on @fooddaypod
• Shop curated snack boxes at Yumday
• Need help with your podcast? Work with Anna.

Connect with us:

•  Follow @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook and join our mailing list for more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS)!
• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!

(c) 2021 Van Valin LLC, Yumday Co

We’re finally going on a field trip! Co-host Anna Van Valin is in Portugal for a month and she’s sharing all the delicious things she’s eating (pastries!), drinking (wine!) and discovering (ancient stuff!) with us. Follow her culinary adventures on Instagram at @FoodDayPod, and join us for our first Instagram Live this Friday Oct 8 at 12n PT to find out whether she’s tried Portugal’s world famous seafood (...probably not). To see more from Anna's Iberian vacay (including some stellar Castle Porn), follow her @annavanvalin. Obrigada!

Connect with us:

•  Follow @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook, check out our website and join our mailing list for more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS)!
• Love the show? Want to support this women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!

(c) Van Valin LLC, Yumday Co

It’s our Season Finale, so we’re slicing into the most iconic American food - Apple Pie! In the Deep Dish, Anna Van Valin gets to the core of how Apple Pie became a symbol of the US of A and what it means to be “as American as Apple pie.” She shares the history behind pie’s rise in popularity in America, including the spread of apples across the colonies thanks to Johnny Appleseed (a real person!), the shift from savory to sweet pies in the 1800s, and how Apple Pies became a comfort food for the pioneers moving West. Anna also gives us surprising examples of how this symbol of American identity has been used for commentary in popular culture, like in Don McLean’s epic ballad “American Pie” and in the raunchy 1999 teenage comedy with the same name. But first,  Lia Ballentine talks to us about Apple Pie’s two national holidays and a festival in Liberty, Kentucky where you can find (and eat) the world’s largest Apple Pie. We have the recipe, so you can make your own 3,000-pound Apple Pie! Lia also tells us about the actual Granny Smith, who cultivated one of the most popular cooking apples in history, and gives us insight into a new breed of apple called the Cosmic Crisp that’s been in development for over 20 years in the state of Washington. So hop in our Chevy and let’s drive it to the levee and learn all about Apple Pie!

Explore from the show:

• See the World's Biggest Apple Pie for yourself on "Kentucky Life."
• Read Megan McArdle's article in the Washington Post, America Forgot How to Make a Proper Pie.  Can we Remember Before it's Too Late? 
• Find out why the Cosmic Crisp Apple is out of this world.
• Because we know we got American Pie stuck in your head. 

Send us your questions!! We'll be doing a mailbag episode in the fall and want to answer your questions about us, the show, or how we come up with our incredible puns. Email us at podcasts@vanvalin.llc, DM us on Instagram, Twitter or through the contact form on our website. 

Cook this podcast! We've partnered with the Manna cooking app to create delicious, episode-inspired recipes you can cook while you listen. Download the app, follow "Every Day is a Food Day," and get cooking our recipe for this episode "In Pie We Crust."

Connect with us:

•  Follow @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook and join our mailing list for more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS)!
• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!

(c) Van Valin LLC, Yumday Co

We’re all dressed up and turning over a new LEAF - because this episode is all about Salad. No really, trust us! First Lia Ballentine tells us all about National Salad Month, National Egg Salad Week (yep, a whole week!), and the real person (ahem, the woman) behind Hellman’s Mayonnaise. Then she’ll take us back to Tijuana to hear the history of Caesar Salad, and learn about the dressing so mysterious they made a documentary about it. But that’s just the tip of the ICEBERG! In the Deep Dish, Anna Van Valin gives us an intro to gender theory lesson as we try to answer the question: if meat is manly, why is salad girly? Plus, she reminisces about that meme that sparked a global conversation about representation, inspired a whole play, and left us laughing alone with our salads. So LETTUCE stick a fork into the fascinating stories behind the history and cultural impact of salad, and what makes us actually crave one. Quesadilla croutons, for example (Chili’s: call us).

Cook this podcast! We've partnered with the Manna cooking app to create delicious, episode-inspired recipes you can cook while you listen. Download the app, follow "Every Day is a Food Day," and check out the recipe "Smash the Patriarchy...and Cucumbers"  inspired by this episode. 

Connect with us:

•  Follow @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook and join our mailing list for more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS)!
• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!

Explore from the show:

• See the meme that started it all...
• Watch the trailer for “The Mysterious Origin of Thousand Island Dressing."
• Read "Smash the Wellness Industry" by Jessica Knoll in the New York Times. 
• Watch the teaser for the Center Theater Group's production of "Women Laughing Alone with Salad" by Sheila Callaghan.

(c) Van Valin LLC, Yumday Co

We've just delivered you a great episode - join us as we unpack the surprising stories behind Takeout! In this episode, you'll hear about Anna & Lia's Covid-fueled takeout habit, and their adventures with drive-thru alcohol joints (of dubious legality). Then Lia Ballentine tells us how the discovery of a snack bar in the ruins of Pompeii means that Takeout has been around since the old (like really old) days, how the COVID-19 pandemic changed our dining experience so much that Takeout finally got is own national food holiday (that's how you know it's important), and the history behind the rise of Chinese food in America. And in the Deep Dish, our Foodlosopher Anna Van Valin takes us on a journey through the evolution of iconic food containers! She’ll explore the backstories behind those familiar Takeout boxes and bags (like our beloved pizza box), the remarkable ways people took their food on the go before Tupperware and Ziplock were on the scene, and something called a "pizza nipple." Get carried away with us!

Cook this podcast! We've partnered with the Manna cooking app to create delicious, episode-inspired recipes you can cook while you listen. Download the app, follow "Every Day is a Food Day," and get cooking our first curated recipe "There's Just Dumpling About Takeout"  inspired by this episode. 

Explore from the show:

• Hear Jennifer 8 Lee's TED Talk about the history of Chinese Food in America. 
• Watch the Doggie Bag scene from Curb Your Enthusiasm. 
• Learn how you can participate in The Great American Takeout.

Connect with us:

•  Follow @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook and join our mailing list for more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS)!
• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!

(c) Van Valin LLC, Yumday Co

Good news: we finally found that lost shaker of salt! Grab your tequila and slice up some limes because in this episode, Anna and Lia are talking (and drinking) margaritas! First, host Lia Ballentine introduces us to a scholarly puppet who teaches us about National Margarita Day, then she spills the controversial origin stories of this classic cocktail. She’ll also tell us about the genius behind one of America’s most prized inventions: the Frozen Margarita Machine. In the Deep Dish, host Anna Van Valin serves up the story of how Prohibition led to tequila being smuggled from Mexico to the American Southwest, and how the rich and famous would flock down to the border town of Tijuana — a.k.a. “Satan’s Playground” — to sip margs and other forbidden boozy bevs. She also tells us about a hatchet-carrying, saloon-smashing activist named Carry A. Nation (actual name),  a radical member of the temperance movement. Plus, find out how you, too, can waste away with Anna and Lia in Margaritaville! #mashiesandmargs

Explore from the show:

• Listen to the full interview with Professor Paul Vanderwood on the history of "Satan's Playground."
• Don't believe us that you should celebrate National Margarita Day? Let Professor Puppet convince you!
• Have a smashing good time learning more about prohibitionist Carry A. Nation.
• You can do your college internship at Margaritaville. Seriously.

Connect with us:

• Want to support our women and BIPOC-created independent podcast? Buy us a coffee!
• For more great content about the stories & foods we talk about on the show (plus a peek BTS) follow us at @FoodDayPod on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook and join our mailing list!

(c) Van Valin LLC, Yumday Co