Planet Pantry

Nicholas Ronyai

A podcast about all of the ingredients which make the cuisines of the world tick! From Amazake to Zataar, we'll explore the best bits and pieces of everyone's favorite foods

  1. 08/14/2021

    Sake: An Intro To Rice Wine Part 1

    This week we're looking at the fundamentals of rice wine, a staple of many east Asian cultures. Rice wine, like any wine, is filled with nuance and complexity both in flavor and manufacture. There's so much that defines a good rice wine and sake is a great example of many of these finer points  so it makes a great primer for our exploration into the broader category of rice wine. Over the next few weeks, we'll be looking at everything from makgeolli to sake from koji to qu  from awamori to baijiu and we'll even look at rice wine vinegar. So get ready because there's a lot to learn here. As always, feel free to reach out with any questions, comments, suggestions or whatever else on instagram @planetpantrypod or by email planetpantrypod@gmail.com and don't forget to check out patreon.com/planetpantrypod if you want to support the show and help me to build a community around the pantry staples of the world.  Here is a great sake recipe that uses store bought koji which you can find at many Asian grocery stores under the brand "cold mountain koji"  https://byo.com/article/making-sake/ Some sources (more upon request, character limit is limiting) Koji Alchemy by Rich Shih and Jeremy Umansky Art of Fermentation by Sandor Katz Noma Guide to Fermentation by Renee Redzeppi and David Zilber Stephen Lyman's talk at Koji Con 2021 The wonderful resources provided by the members of the koji discord server https://www.truesake.com/pages/sake-types https://sakeguide.net/articles/2020/10/21/what-is-junmai-sake-1 https://boutiquejapan.com/sake101/#:~:text=Junmai%20is%20the%20Japanese%20word,such%20as%20sugar%20or%20alcohol. https://www.takarasake.com/sake-brewing-process https://www.seriouseats.com/sake-yeast-temperature-yeast-strains https://www.midorinoshima.com/en/content/6-sake-production-process https://theculturetrip.com/asia/japan/articles/a-brief-history-of-japanese-sake/ http://awamori-news.co.jp/1980_2-26_awamori-kuchi-kami-sake_sake-made-from-rice-or-other-cereal-which-is-chewed-before-fermentation_arakaki-kana/ https://thejapanesebar.com/sake-rice/ https://www.hakushika.co.jp/en/enjoy/Ingredients.html https://en.sake-times.com/learn/seimaibuai-rice-polishing-rate https://www.tippsysake.com/pages/sake-guide-lesson-3-types-of-sake https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Aspergillus_oryzae https://www.thefermentary.com.au/products/tane-koji-to-grow-on-rice http://www.fao.org/3/x6897e/x6897e05.htm http://oa.upm.es/47964/1/INVE_MEM_2017_261872.pdf

    39 min
  2. 07/27/2021

    Maple Syrup Part 2: Opportunity Makes the Thief

    This week we continue to look at maple syrup and some amazing stories behind it. We explore the greatest heist in Canadian history, the origins of maple syrup and more! Don't forget to check out planet pantry pod on Instagram and Patreon or email me with questions or whatever else at planetpantrypod@gmail.com. Some Sources (contact for more): https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/sweet-revenge-for-quebec-maple-syrup-producers-thief-gets-five-years-for-role-in-18-7-million-heist https://globalnews.ca/news/3413782/maple-syrup-theft-sentence/ https://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/20/business/arrests-made-in-maple-syrup-theft-from-quebec-warehouse.html https://theeconreview.com/2019/11/05/sweet-nothings-the-cruel-irony-of-quebecs-maple-syrup-gold-rush/ https://www.vpr.org/programs/2019-04-22/inside-the-global-strategic-maple-syrup-reserve https://pubs.iied.org/sites/default/files/pdfs/migrate/G03274.pdf https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2012/12/20/why-maple-syrup-is-controlled-by-a-quebec-cartel/ https://www.taxpayer.com/news-room-archive/Quebec%E2%80%99s%20maple%20syrup https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2016/12/maple-syrup-heist https://www.vice.com/en/article/ywnjkv/inside-quebecs-maple-syrup-black-market https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/quebec-maple-syrups-strategic-reserve/article575625/ https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/richard-vallieres-sentencing-1.4090811 https://www.vicnews.com/news/supreme-court-agrees-to-hear-case-involving-fine-for-massive-maple-syrup-heist/ https://nationalpost.com/news/canada/with-burner-phones-and-200k-in-hidden-cash-plot-to-steal-maple-syrup-had-look-of-a-major-drug-deal https://www.maplefarmers.com/blogs/call-of-the-maple/reverse-osmosis-and-maple-syrup https://birchbasketcatering.com/

    43 min
  3. 07/17/2021

    Maple Syrup

    In this week's episode we begin to explore maple syrup. I learn about the origins of it in pre Colombian North America, I reckon with my image of Canada and with my education on indigenous culture as a kid. We also learn about one of nature's miracles in how sap is produced in trees and we look at the history of the Haudenosaunee. We got a little off track this week as I broke down my view of how indigenous history is taught and how that affected my image of maple syrup. But next week we'll pick back up on a regular release day (wednesday) with a look at all the other parts of the maple syrup story. As always, if you have any corrections, questions, suggestions or anything else, feel free to reach out to me on instagram @planetpantrypod or by email at planetpantrypod@gmail.com. And below you'll find some of the sources used in research this episode.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q__T8_zHSrs (magic school bus) https://www.thetreecenter.com/what-is-tree-sap/ http://www.biology4kids.com/files/plants_xylemphloem.html https://www.soiladvocates.ca/maple-vs-birch-syrup/ https://botanistinthekitchen.blog/2013/03/18/maple-syrup-mechanics/ https://files.dnr.state.mn.us/destinations/state_parks/maplesyrup_how.pdf https://www.sfu.ca/brc/online_exhibits/masks-2-0/the-potlatch-ban.html https://www.onondaganation.org/history/ https://www.firstpeople.us/FP-Html-Legends/ThePeacemakerAndTheTreeOfPeace-Iroquois.html https://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/historical-life-as-a-haudenosaunee/housing/ https://www.onondaganation.org/culture/wampum/hiawatha-belt/ https://i36466.wixsite.com/learninglonghouse/peacemaker https://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/clan-system/ https://www.haudenosauneeconfederacy.com/who-we-are/ https://www.ontario.ca/page/six-nations-grand-river https://northernwoodlands.org/articles/article/when-is-the-best-time-for-sugarmakers-to-tap-their-maple-trees

    31 min
  4. 07/05/2021

    Horseradish, Wasabi and Purple Chrain

    This week we're learning about horseradish and wasabi. These two amazing plants have evolved to what they are today completely independent from each other on opposite sides of the world and today they serve similar purposes while also maintaining their own unique value in their homelands. They both have their own interesting stories and we explore them this week while also explaining some misconceptions.  If you have any notes, corrections, ideas for future episodes or anything else hit me up on instagram @planetpantrypod or by email at planetpantrypod@gmail.com Also consider supporting the show on patreon at www.patreon.com/planetpantrypod you'll get some extra content and access to our discord server where we're trying to build a community around pantry staples Some of the sources used in this episode (If you want to know where I got something, I'm sure we can find it together) https://horseradish.org/horseradish-facts/horseradish-history/ https://www.kinjirushi.co.jp/english/wasabi/history/ https://www.pepperscale.com/pepper-heat-vs-horseradish-heat/ https://www.cooksillustrated.com/how_tos/6058-keeping-the-kick-in-fresh-horseradish https://biomedicalephemera.tumblr.com/post/37988843128/when-is-a-pepper-not-a-pepper-have-you-ever https://volumeone.org/articles/2010/07/15/201554-the-chippewa-valleys-horseradish-rival https://sciencemeetsfood.org/history-spicy-food/ https://volumeone.org/articles/2010/07/15/201554-the-chippewa-valleys-horseradish-rival https://www.bbc.com/news/business-29082091 https://www.makesushi.com/real-wasabi-paste/ https://www.stlmag.com/history/st-louis-sage/why-is-southern-illinois-the-horseradish-capital-of-the-worl/ https://www.jstor.org/stable/4253036?read-now=1&seq=8#page_scan_tab_contents https://www.banjo.co.jp/en/experience/kind#:~:text=Broadly%20speaking%2C%20there%20are%20two,western%E2%80%9D%20wasabi%20or%20horseradish). https://www.oakhillgardens.com/blog/how-to-grow-wasabi

    29 min
  5. 06/29/2021

    Cardamom: The Queen of Spices

    This week we look at cardamom, the queen of spices and her history. There's a lot to unpack here and the way that cardamom has evolved as a commodity and the way it's sold today is pretty representative of a lot of problems with our food systems in general but there's an optimistic end in sight. There are lots of good ways of getting better quality cardamom and we look at how some people are changing these industries, which often suffer from left overs of their colonial roots.  As always, feel free to reach out with any notes, corrections, ideas for episodes or anything else by email: planetpantrypod@gmail.com or on instagram @planetpantrypod and also check out the patreon where I post extra content and attempt to build a community around pantry staples on our accompanying discord server.  Some sources and useful links (Let me know if you want to know where I got a specific piece of information) Diaspora Co. (Get some spices!) https://www.diasporaco.com/ https://www.diasporaco.com/blogs/journal/a-bittersweet-cardamom-harvest?_pos=2&_sid=85aa75233&_ss=r https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317545657_Cardamon_cultivation_and_forest_biodiversity_in_northwest_Vietnam/link/5954695c0f7e9b2da1b04e52/download https://www.heifer.org/blog/rooted-in-racism-cardamom.html https://civileats.com/2018/12/17/dollar-stores-are-taking-over-the-grocery-business-and-its-bad-news-for-public-health-and-local-economies/ https://www.statista.com/statistics/197621/annual-grocery-store-sales-in-the-us-since-1992/ http://www.tkdl.res.in/tkdl/langdefault/ayurveda/Ayu_Principles.asp?GL= https://theayurvedaexperience.com/blogs/tae/cardamom-benefits-uses-side-effects https://anothermusicinadifferentkitchen.com/massaman-curry-paste/ https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a9cfbc9e11f04a79885521bc559c9815 https://wholespice.com/blog/tag/white-cardamom/ https://books.google.com/books?id=G9x-8pK3K64C&pg=PA136#v=onepage&q&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=Ja7WAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA216#v=onepage&q&f=false https://books.google.com/books?id=5WY08iuJyawC&pg=PA41#v=onepage&q&f=false

    29 min
  6. 06/01/2021

    Cheese: Understand Your Feta Betta

    In this episode we dive into the world of cheese and all of the practices and micro organisms that make the many varieties possible. This concludes our series on dairy, it's been a lot of work but I'm definitely walking away with a much better understanding of how this stuff works than when I started. As always, feel free to reach out on instagram @planetpantrypod or by email: planetpantrypod@gmail.com . Sometime this week I'm going to start adding to the patreon and I've set up a discord server for any patrons to join where we can discuss the pantry staples of the world and hopefully start learning together. If anyone prefers to support the show in a different way, just let me know and I'll send you an invite to the discord! There's no one there at the moment so if you're among the first to join we can build the foundations for this commnity together. Below are some of the sources I used in this episode including some that I mentioned, which are labeled. As always, the character limit here only lets me post some so if you want to know where I got a piece of info, hit me up and we'll figure it out. On food and cooking by Harold Mcgee https://www.foodunfolded.com/article/mozzarella-cheese-how-its-made https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_cheeses https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?fr=131.200&SearchTerm=yogurt#:~:text=(a)%20Description.,Lactobacillus%20bulgaricus%20and%20Streptococcus%20thermophilus. (FDA Yogurt Definition) https://www.gourmetcheesedetective.com/History-of-Cheese.html https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfcfr/CFRSearch.cfm?CFRPart=133&showFR=1 (FDA Cheese Definition) https://scienceinpoland.pap.pl/en/node/21948 https://www.indianhealthyrecipes.com/how-to-make-paneer-cubes-at-home/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E1ieh_c5N3g&t=200s (Ruminant Digestion) https://cheesegrotto.com/blogs/journal/history-of-cheese-part-1-the-ancient-origins-of-cheese https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/Paneer-and-the-origin-of-cheese-in-India/article14516958.ece https://culturecheesemag.com/stories/blog/writers-whey-homers-odyssey-and-why-feta-is-so-salty/

    27 min

About

A podcast about all of the ingredients which make the cuisines of the world tick! From Amazake to Zataar, we'll explore the best bits and pieces of everyone's favorite foods