Spork it over

I listen to podcasts while I exercise. Music just doesn’t do it for me; I need the totally, pumped-up feeling that I only get from talk radio. I realize that this might be a character flaw, but you try jogging around the block to an episode of Radiolab and you’ll see just how fast the time goes when you’re engrossed in a thrilling, scientific, social investigation versus what Christina, Britney, or Pink are currently wailing about (ok, I should probably update my pop culture references; another character flaw). Most recently, I’ve started listening to The Sporkful while I jog because I always have food on the brain and it’s good to think about food while you’re being active, not to mention The Sporkful debates are so lively (and often so ridiculous) that it really gets my heart rate up and the energy surging.

When I first started listening to The Sporkful, I was really torn as to whether or not I felt that hosts Dan Pashman and Mark Garrison were putting out a good quality, food podcast. I understand that each show begins with the very specific disclaimer that all Sporkful material is for eaters, not for foodies, and while I might think of those titles as one in the same (I’m a foodie, I also like to eat), the fact that The Sporkful has a video devoted entirely to creating a better grilled cheese sandwich – the conclusion to which is the dead-serious assertion that one should in fact just encase the sandwich entirely in melted cheese – should be a hint to the slant of the podcast. The other problem I was struggling with was a general feeling that Dan and Mark were employing a whole lot of gimmicks and cheesy (I mean that in both senses of the word), cheap tricks without really letting the food stand up for itself. For instance, the announcement of the day’s topic is followed by the sound of a gong – anything will sound more important if followed by a gong. But then I thought long and hard about the goal of The Sporkful, which is inevitably to debate topics that we often take for granted in our daily food lives, and to offer great detail on both sides of the argument. The debate about how to stack your sandwich ingredients for maximum flavor and minimum sogging is in fact an important consideration, and I am totally with Mark on his theory that condiments added only once to the baked potato leave you with just too much potato to topping ratio; you need to condiment as you eat, and that could mean reapplying the scallions, or the salsa, or the sour cream, two, maybe even three times in a sitting. Also, while Zach and I spend most of our free time dreaming up recipes together, we find ourselves in constant debate about texture, temperature, flavor, and what would go best with what. For instance, the Ice Cream Toppings Sporkful Episode is of special significance to us, as one of us feels that sprinkles trump all other toppings, and the other is convinced that breakfast cereal is an appropriate ice cream condiment (the sides will remain anonymous; you can align yourself with either opinion without feeling like you’re playing favorites).

Ok, so I was feeling all high and mighty and had decided that The Sporkful was dishing out questionable food content, and then I realized something – I write a blog that, I think, often has serious restaurant reviews and well-tested, maybe even classy recipes (Mallory really brings a little something extra) and yet utilizes numerous food-related puns, many of them in poor taste, and, most significantly, the blog is called I Would Eat That Off A Squirrel. If I’m going to remain unbiased then I suppose I do have to consider that this title might also be confusing if you are an individual trying to decide if you are a foodie or an eater since it is apparently confusing for several friends and family members who still can’t seem to remember the actual blog address. How do I know this? Because my blog-traffic-feed tells me daily that people have found my blog by using Google search terms such as I'm going to eat that off a squirrel’s back and also Jess licks that off a squirrel. So, bookmark this web-page now, friends, because, frankly, your creative Google searches are making me look bad. And also, back on topic, I’ve decided to embrace The Sporkful, and I suggest that you give it a go too.

To start you off I’m suggesting the Yogurt Episode, which features a brief blurb about the cupcake and a sentiment that is very near and dear to the hearts of the authors of this blog – the cupcake is actually all about the frosting –, several very interesting debates on one of my favorite foods – yogurt –, and an in-depth discussion about the many important yogurt-related preferences such as what one might add to yogurt to make it even yummier and what advertising gimmicks are now dominating the yogurt industry, including Jamie Lee Curtis and prepackaged granola attached to the yogurt container itself. In regards to the latter, let me just say that as the kid who was raised on Dannon, 'fruit on the bottom,' I am, looking back, really pleased with my upbringing, but at the time, I wanted nothing more than to trade lunches with the girl sitting across from me at the cafeteria table whose mom packed her YoCrunch!, you know, the one with the granola in the little plastic tub on top (total advertising gimmick or not, it had a certain wow factor). You can go into this podcast with any pre-established food preferences you’d like, but be open to the debate, don’t be afraid to form new opinions, and, in general, get very, very excited about all that you eat.