Hosted by food writers Emily Naismith and Ben Birchall, this Aussie podcast is fun, quick (most eps are around 20-25 minutes) and focusses on one ingredient each week. From why coriander is so polarising, to the history of coffee (and of course there’s an episode on bacon), this is a must for food buffs. And if there’s an ingredient you’d like to see put under the spotlight, there’s a slot on their website for suggesting food for them to focus on.
Serving suggestion: , with the podcast’s fascinating .
Lee Tran Lam has been running her popular since 2012, and it’s still one of the best out there. Featuring interviews with cool people from all over the food world - the spectrum runs from Christina Tosi to Annabel Crabb - Lam’s interviewing style is both probing and casual, making for excellent listening. Her latest interview is with the Sydney blogger Helen Yee of .
Serving suggestion: . There are a lot of talk about baking on this show! But you could also settle in with an ice-cream, a hot-dog or a bowl of your favourite Asian soup. She covers so much ground that pretty much anything would feel right.
On the latest episode, catch up with Helen Yee of Grab Your Fork. (Picture: Helen Yee)
Another Aussie podcast, this one is primarily for Sydney foodies. Hosted by food writer and chef Mitch Orr, it’s not super-regular, but it is fun - kind of like having a conversation with your friends… if your friends owned the coolest restaurants in town.
Serving suggestion: Beer. This podcast is pretty laidback. Go with it.
Billed as a podcast for “eaters, not foodies,” The Sporkful is a mix of food science and food tribute. Guests like Margaret Cho and Maria Bamford join host Dan Pashman to talk about everything from the sound of crispy potato chips to pot brownies and why vanilla ice cream is so popular. And if you've ever had a lunch go missing in the office, you’ve got to check out their . It’s genius.
Serving suggestion: Something on trend, like ramen or .
Dan Pashman, the host of Sporkful. (Picture: Lilia Cratcher)
This podcast is a smart investigation of all kinds of food issues - many of which aren’t explored elsewhere. We’re talking everything from how ultra-marathon runners prep their bodies for races to what Syrian refugees feed their kids. A recent episode, on the impact Brexit might have on British food, was literally food for thought, while others uncover unexpected news on familiar ingredients – disease in bananas, or a threat to the global strawberry industry.
If you’re keen to embrace traditional food ways – either all-in, or just to find some expertise on a particular topic – the calm, friendly and reassuring Wardee Harmon is the woman you want. Harmon, who lives on a small acreage in Oregan, in the US, runs the on-line Traditional Cooking School. Her podcast covers everything from fermented foods and sourdough breadmaking to how to banish stress from your kitchen and find more joy in cooking. Importantly, she regularly reassures listeners that it’s all about small steps - while she shares a huge range of tips and advice, she’s realistic about time pressures and the challenges of learning new ways.
You like the idea of farm life, but you don’t live on a farm? Theresa Loe is the podcast host for you. Her show is about how to “live farm fresh without the farm”, and her practical advice will have you hankering to fill planter boxes on your balcony with food plants or whip up a batch of preserves. She’s US-based, so there’s a fair number of episodes about “canning” (preserving in jars) – the pressure canning’s not so relevant for an Australian audience, but there’s plenty of other preserving nous to take advantage of. Fave eps include an early one on different types of pickles (fermented pickles, quick pickles and refrigerator pickles) and why you shouldn’t adjust the amount of vinegar in recipes and one devoted to freezing garden produce.
Serving suggestion: Anything preserved or pickled – this is great with rich winter dishes.
This podcast of indie food mag Cherry Bombe is hosted by editors Kerry Diamond and Claudia Wu, and focusses on women and food. Listen in for interviews with Nigella Lawson, Madhur Jaffrey and Alice Waters, among many others. The topics range from mental health issues in the food industry to new new cookbooks.
Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster-Burton chat, debate and hurtle down entertaining culinary side-roads on topics as diverse as Taiwanese Junk Food (and just recently, New Zealand Junk Food), Cough Drops and Brussels Sprouts.
Like your food with a squeeze of science, a hit of history? Writers Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley bring both to their podcast, in unexpected ways: a recent ep on kombucha ropes in both German POWs and Lindsey Lohan; earlier podcast topics include food crime, kelp and Jewish food.
Serving suggestion: (as they say, there’s more to maple syrup than pancakes).
Appropriately, given the theme, this one's like a podcast degustation: lots of bits making up a fast, fun whole. Celebs and personalities - everything from Orphan Black star Tatiana Maslany to comedian Jim Gaffigan - chat, advise and amuse, making it a good listen even if you aren't planning to gather a group around your table.
Serving suggestion: Adam Liaw's - one of those big platter dishes perfect for sharing.
