Vittles and Vitals

Jacob Reed
  • 5.0 (8)
  • SOCIETY & CULTURE
  • UPDATED MONTHLY
Vittles and Vitals

A father and son talk through vital issues of culture and the vittles to which they are inevitably linked. Hosted by Jay Reed and Jacob Reed.

  1. OCT 21

    Why Do Burned Hydrocarbons Taste So Good?

    This is the episode where Jacob and Jay smoke.  Wait, what?  Nope... Jay and Jacob just talk about smoke.  What is it, actually?  What are some of the good things it can do, and some of the bad things it’s responsible for?  Then when it comes to the food segment, they talk about one of the best things smoke can do: make meat taste fantastic.  But how does it get into the meat?  What’s all this about a smoke ring?  What are their favorites and which cuts are they afraid of?  Not only does smoke elevate the flavor of briskets and butts, it also plays a role in tricking those pesky bees into giving up some of their honey (which goes nicely in a barbecue sauce, by the way.)  So get the fire going in the smoker of your choice, light a cigar or pipe (if that’s your thing), and listen to this episode via your favorite smoke signal app.

    33 min

  2. OCT 7

    Jelly Bean Tast Test

    Due to technical difficulty, the Smoke Episode had to be delayed! So Jacob and Jay schemed to bring out an unreleased episode where they try some questionable jelly beans. Do they actually enjoy their experience? Will they recommend these beans? Why are they echoing? (It's due to recording on an iPhone) Find out in today's episode!

    23 min

  3. SEP 16

    Fire and Spice and Everything Nice

    (Please Note: This is an older recording. Some references may be outdated) This is the episode where Jay and Jacob get hot and spicy.  No worries - there won’t be an “Explicit” warning on this one - it’s not that kind of heat and spice.  It’s actual heat they’re talking about: fire.  What is fire, actually?   A gas?  A liquid?  An illusion?  Jacob digs out his chemical engineer hard hat to talk details, as well as his experience torching a field.  Fire is definitely destructive, but is it all bad?  They talk about how fire has changed history (or at least the history of eating) and explain the fire triangle - or fire tetrahedron - depending on who you read.  Of course, that history of eating leads naturally to thinking of vittles, but today they’re talking about the fire IN the food, not so much the fire UNDER the food.  Jay and Jacob come from two ends of the spicy food spectrum: a very tame tongue vs a collector of hot sauces.  They discuss why that burn feels like it does and how to work your way from bell pepper to Carolina Reaper.  Get out your Scoville scale and rate this episode 5 Habaneros!

    40 min

  4. SEP 2

    To Feast Without Labor

    This is the episode where Jay and Jacob stop their usual work so they can work on something else - just like Labor Day, the only holiday where you celebrate something by not doing it.  From humble, almost disastrous, beginnings to the first Monday off of fall, it has come a long way to be a holiday with minimal parades and no section of its own at Hallmark.  And what to eat on Labor Day?  Are there traditional foods?  Is it all just about grilling?  Is it really “the last cookout of the summer”?  J & J discuss the options, as well as a few tips on how to eat well with a minimum of … labor.  It’s Labor Day. Take it easy.  Get takeout.  Take a nap.  Take in a podcast.

    29 min

  5. AUG 26

    Catchup? Ketchup? You Decide!

    This is the episode where Jay and Jacob come back … again.  They’re not sure if it’s Season 4 (or Part 2 of Season 3 that left you wondering if it would ever happen #Yellowstone).  But either way, they’re back and it’s time to catch up.  It’s been 2 years and a lot has happened in the lives of these Reed men, including a lots of read-ing.  In the first half, they’ll catch up on all the happenings, then it’s time for a deep dive into a vat of ketchup.  Or catsup.  However, you spell it, ketchup is an iconic condiment with a surprisingly tomato-free history.  And it’s thixotropic to boot.  Now it’s time for every home with ketchup in the refrigerator to put in the proverbial earbuds and catch up with this long-awaited, anxiously anticipated, Heinz-esque episode.  57 star reviews!

    30 min

  6. 07/24/2022

    Charcuterie or Cards: Which Board Is Best?

    This is the episode where Jay and Jacob get bored.  No - not that spelling.  They get board!  Anyone who knows Jacob well, knows that he is a board game nerd.  In fact, it may or may not be true that his lovely wife had to put him on a board game budget.  As it turns out, board games have been around a long time - we’re talking painted on cave walls kind of old - and people (not just Jacob) still love ‘em, as evidenced by the board game aisle in your favorite toy shop, book store, or ginormous discount mart.  And what better snacks on game night could one have than a charcuterie board?  There are some “rules” to good charcuterie boards: how to arrange, how to pair, how to prep.  But the most important rule is that there are no rules.  And charcuterie programs are definitely “in” at some of the best restaurants around, so they’re not hard to find.  Take a break from the Game of Life, put some fancy cheese and sausage on the best cracker you can find, and have a listen.

    39 min

  7. 06/17/2022

    Why Are All The Lunch Hours Gone?

    This is the episode where Jay and Jacob return to the airwaves after a hiatus of sorts, for Season Three (or something like that)!  You could say that they’ve been on a super long lunch break, but the truth is, not many Americans take long lunch breaks anymore.  It seems like the days of the three martini lunch (or the three iced tea meat and three) are gone.  It’s not universal, however, and Jay (the pharmacist who can’t leave the building) and Jacob (the minister/student with flexible hours) are the perfect pair to illustrate the difference.  And it wouldn’t be an episode about lunch without talking about their favorite lunch foods and places to get them.  Even if Jay has to eat it standing up.  This episode is best heard at lunch.

    32 min

  8. 10/09/2021

    Kit Kat Choices

    This is the episode where Jay and Jacob have a choice.  Actually, they have lots of choices and that’s part of the problem.  Or is it?  In today’s world we have seemingly endless choices - an aisle full of cereal options at the grocery store, ever growing numbers of streaming services to show an ever growing amount of video content, and in some areas of the country, literally a church on every corner.  One study says multiple options are good for us.  Another says maybe not.  (There are also lots of studies.)  And perhaps you’ve heard of FOMO?  How about FOBO?  It’s a thing.  On the Vittles side, it’s their first ever on-air taste-testing of yet another area exploding with options: candy bar flavors.  Reese’s and Nestle get a mention, but the main event features the most prolific flavor expansion worldwide (or at least Japan): the Kit Kat bar.  Grab all the flavors you can find and join the tasting as you listen.

    36 min
See All (36)

Trailer

5
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

A father and son talk through vital issues of culture and the vittles to which they are inevitably linked. Hosted by Jay Reed and Jacob Reed.

Information

  • Creator
    Jacob Reed
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2024
  • Episodes
    36
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Jacob Reed
  • Show Website
    Vittles and Vitals

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