Hungry For MO

KCUR Studios
  • 4.9 (37)
  • FOOD
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Hungry For MO is a podcast from KCUR Studios where hosts Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara celebrate the stories behind Missouri’s iconic foods, from barbecue to pizza and beyond. Supported by the Missouri Humanities Council.

  1. 08/30/2023

    Annie Fisher’s beaten biscuit empire

    At the turn of the 20th century, a self-taught caterer in Columbia gained national acclaim with her sought-after biscuit recipe. Fisher’s famous beaten biscuits made it onto the plates of presidents and Hollywood stars alike — making her one of the wealthiest Black women around. But her story may have been lost if not for a few determined Missouri women. A tale from the KCUR Studios podcast A People’s History of Kansas City.

    25 min

  2. 12/22/2022

    What even is Ozark cuisine?

    Missouri’s Ozark Mountains are known for their lush wilderness and popular tourist destinations. But what about the food? Like much of Ozark culture, the cuisine remains deeply misunderstood and shrouded in stereotypes. From deep in the forest to upscale restaurants, these food lovers are preserving the Ozarks' past and charting its future.

    34 min

  3. 12/14/2022

    The salad days of Wish-Bone dressing

    In 1948, Phillip Sollomi debuted an Italian vinaigrette at his Kansas City fried chicken restaurant, the Wishbone. An immediate hit, the salad dressing formed the foundation for an empire: You can find that iconic Wish-Bone bottle in nearly every supermarket in the country. Decades after Sollomi left the company, his family has returned to the city to reclaim their legacy.

    32 min

  4. 12/07/2022

    Black walnut magic

    Missouri is home to more black walnut trees than any other place in the world. Its wild nature and distinct flavor means the black walnut often gets passed over for more popular European varieties — the kinds you normally see in grocery stores and restaurants. But these Missourians are making sure that the state’s native nut, and its importance to the culture of this region, gets its day in the sun.

    27 min

  5. 11/30/2022

    No apologies for St. Louis pizza

    Is there any other regional pizza in the country that elicits as much debate and shame as St. Louis-style? A square-cut, thin-crust pie topped with ooey, gooey Provel cheese, this unconventional pizza is the result of decades of St. Louis ingenuity — and yet, even many locals apologize for their unique creation.

    30 min
  6. A toast to the birthplace of sliced bread

    11/21/2022

    A toast to the birthplace of sliced bread

    Chillicothe, Missouri, has an unusual claim to fame: It’s the town where sliced bread first debuted back in 1928. But despite being less than a century old, the origin of this revolutionary pantry staple was almost lost to history. A treat from the KCUR Studios podcast A People’s History of Kansas City. Plus: A preview of Hungry For MO’s upcoming second season!

    29 min

  7. 09/14/2021

    Myth-busting the St. Louis World's Fair

    The St. Louis World’s Fair of 1904 forever changed modern American cuisine — popularizing foods like the ice cream cone, hamburgers and iced tea. But what aren't we remembering about this international affair?

    29 min

  8. 09/07/2021

    Crock-Pots for the people

    No Midwestern cookout is complete without a delicious chili or dip simmering in a Crock-Pot. But when the device was first unveiled by a Kansas City company in 1971, it promised something more: freedom.

    1 min
See All (13)

4.9
out of 5
37 Ratings

About

Hungry For MO is a podcast from KCUR Studios where hosts Natasha Bailey and Jenny Vergara celebrate the stories behind Missouri’s iconic foods, from barbecue to pizza and beyond. Supported by the Missouri Humanities Council.

Information

  • Creator
    KCUR Studios
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2023
  • Episodes
    13
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 KCUR
  • Show Website
    Hungry For MO