This week, we journey through 250 years of American cuisine. Author Jason Fagone digs into the history of competitive eating, from the man who transformed the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, to the spectacle that was the Glutton Bowl. Plus, reporter Anna Van Dine meets the Whitcomb’s Rangers: Revolutionary War re-enactors who are committed to eating like it’s 1776; Adam Gopnik crowns a winner for The Most American Food; and live fire cooking expert Genevieve Taylor joins Chris to take your summer grilling calls.

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As we finish preparing our July 4th special coming out this Friday, we’re remembering a few of our favorite Independence Day interviews. Stacey Mei Yan Fong bakes an elaborate pie for each of the 50 states (Las Vegas buffet pie, anyone?); historian Bruce Kraig recounts the history of the hot dog; and Meathead shares some of his secret grilling tips and techniques.

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In 2008, Roy Choi was fired from his big restaurant job and ready to give up—then he started Kogi. He joins us today to discuss the making of his now-legendary food truck, how he taught Jon Favreau to look like a cook, and why there's poetry in lowriding around L.A. Plus, we hunt for clams, eels and anchovies with sea forager Kirk Lombard; and Chris and Sara Moulton take your calls, explaining what constitutes the middle rack of the oven, how to make the perfect toum, and much more. (Originally aired May 30, 2025.)

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For this week's special rewind, Adam Conover, host of the truTV series “Adam Ruins Everything,” challenges the myth of killer Halloween candy, bogus detox diets and the rise of bacon. Plus, David Burtka transforms parties into events; we throw together an amazing Andalusian Tomato and Bread Soup; and Adam Gopnik stumbles across the perfect meal on vacation in Greece.

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Lokelani Alabanza has created over 300 wildly inventive ice cream flavors. She shares the triumphs (strawberry pretzel salad), the disasters (barbecue) and the flavors she still hopes to bring to life (…crystal store?!). Plus, Mindy Merrell and R.B. Quinn share how country and bluegrass music stars contributed to the rise of self-rising flour; Will Coley travels to Palermo to sample pastries invented by Sicilian nuns, from the Triumph of Gluttony to the Chancellor’s Buttocks; and Linda Tay Esposito takes us on a tour of Penang.

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We’re looking back on a few of our summeriest stories. We meet the self-titled Salad Freak, Jess Damuck for tips on creating the perfect hot-weather meal; Gustavo Arellano takes us from New Mexico to Colorado on the Great American Chili Highway; and Dan Pashman refines the art of picnicking.

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This week, beloved television reporter Harry Smith takes us behind the scenes at The Early Show and around the world. He recalls his most memorable meals, from Haiti to Iraq to the Netherlands, and what a he’s learned from a lifetime of travel. Plus, Leela Punyaratabandhu shares the flavors of the Southeast Asian grill; Grant Barrett and Martha Barnette of “A Way with Words” search the world for rice idioms; and Sohla El-Waylly is back on the phone lines to tackle your cooking questions!

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For this week's special rewind, we ask: Should you judge a wine by its label? Andres O'Hara studies the influence of wine label design; Alexander Smalls shares how the Afro-Asian diaspora changed the world of cooking; we settle the eternal debate: corks or screwcaps?; and we prepare a pasta with broccoli sauce.