Back in 2004, the USA imported over $400 million worth of tequila. Approximately 73 percent of that was tequila in bulk form. So when the Mexican government suggested they were going to change the rules such that tequila had to be bottled in Mexico … well, US companies went to...

On this week's episode Aarón and Zarela are thrilled to welcome Rafael Mier, the Founder and Director of Fundación Tortilla, to guide us through a deep dive on Corn. Rafael's mission is to preserve and popularize the many, wonderful heirloom varietals of corn that can be found all over Mexico...

Based on the Southern concept of one meat and three sides, Meat and Three dishes out a deep dive and three short stories every week. These stories are told by a variety of contributors, and explore the trends, politics, and personal anecdotes surrounding food. From soda stream beats to KoЯn...

I don’t recall in which online forum I saw it, but someone asked the question, "Why are so many mezcaleros named Don?" It made me laugh, but it’s funny because it illustrates one of the translation problems with agave spirits. We dive deep into that problem in this week's episode...

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...

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...

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...

This episode is part of a special series in collaboration with Gastronomica: The Journal for Food Studies <https://online.ucpress.edu/gastronomica>, guest hosted by Gastronomica editorial collective member Jaclyn Rohel. Alyshia Gálvez explores the work of transnational food couriers known as paqueteros and paqueteras. These informal grassroots entrepreneurs connect people and places across...

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...

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...