Matthew Amster-Burton
Co-Host of Spilled Milk
Matthew Amster-Burton has been writing about food since 1999, but let's talk about some of his other accomplishments. He was the first person ever to use the phrase "erotic pirate haiku" on the web (really!) and took home the gold in ski jump at Innsbruck, 1964 (not really). He's the author of five books, including Pretty Good Number One: An American Family Eats Tokyo and the young adult novel Our Secret Better Lives. He is big in Japan (really!).
Matthew Amster-Burton has hosted 340 episodes.
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Episode 321: Handheld Meat Pies
February 22nd, 2018 | 32 mins 25 secs
Today we (very carefully) taste molten meat inside flaky crusts and diagnose Meat Hand Syndrome while Molly gives us another signature Hot Take. Trigger warning for people who are sensitive to terrible words. Like Producer Abby, who has done nothing but love and support the podcast and does not deserve this sort of treatment.
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Episode 320: Omelettes
February 15th, 2018 | 31 mins 36 secs
This episode was 7 years in the making. Today we dive deep into this Dad food staple finding that a little cheese goes a long way. After some lipstick woes, herbal liaisons and painful high school memories we eventually get super French. Because of course we do.
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Episode 319: Fruit Curd
February 8th, 2018 | 31 mins 13 secs
In between knife-fulls of Sprite curd, we debate jam vs. curd vs. marmalade while going on some seriously weird tangents. We also crown a superior citrus and make some predictions for next year's feudal lord fashion. So, just another Thursday.
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Episode 318: Corn Tortillas
February 1st, 2018 | 34 mins 22 secs
Welcome to another episode of Science, Death and Sex Moves. Today we learn all sorts of new words, some insights into the joys of parenting, and what Molly wants for her birthday. Remember, the first rule about nixtamalized corn is ... you get it.
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Episode 317: Arnold Palmer
January 25th, 2018 | 20 mins 50 secs
Babe, join us here at the country club for a refreshing glass of Arnold Palmer after a strenuous game of golf. Or tennis. Or just anytime not in winter. Today we speculate about Arnold Palmer's dark past and get way too excited about nerdy book topics. We also invent a new drink destined for wild popularity.
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Episode 316: Pasta Widths
January 18th, 2018 | 36 mins 9 secs
We pretty much want to bathe in pasta, whether its extruded, cranked or dyed. Today we learn about Matthew's angelic past, Molly's preferred ribbon texture and where to find the perfect pasta nest. Excessive accent warning.
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Episode 315: Breath Mints
January 11th, 2018 | 31 mins 24 secs
Within these four mouth walls, we break dance and break resolutions as we torture our tongues with breath mints. With Mouth Ghosts and Eye Goblins right behind the door, is this the episode where Matthew and Molly finally make out!?
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Episode 314: Mussels
January 4th, 2018 | 34 mins 30 secs
We continue to exude class today as we lunch on mussels. Adorned in mother of pearl and beards, we learn what it means to adult and what treasures can lie behind dumpsters. Along the way we uncover Matthew's room temperature fears and the best way to chowder.
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Episode 313: Scallops
December 28th, 2017 | 30 mins 36 secs
Today, we quickly become full of existential angst as we learn way too much about Scallops. Discover how delicate an ecosystem this episode is with all of its biology degrees and cosmopolitan free living. We wonder how to quantify conscious thought while marveling at the long lasting legacy of Daniel Day-Lewis.
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Episode 312: Gingerbread Cookies
December 21st, 2017 | 25 mins 55 secs
Ready for 26 minutes in heaven? Listen as we discuss nameless humanoid baked goods both snappy and biting. We also play Guess the Cookie Cutter Shape and Are We Cool? before we are all gone.
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Episode 311: Canned Cold Brew
December 14th, 2017 | 30 mins 10 secs
Look at us drinking the trendiest thing in caffeinated beverages! Coffee, steeped long, hard, and cold. We wonder how many sips are too many sips, and what happened to the flavor compounds—all the while hoping Cookie Monster shows up.
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Episode 310: French Fry Shapes
December 7th, 2017 | 25 mins 13 secs
Today Matthew and Molly encounter Curly, Shoestring, Steak and Crinkle all from the comfort of home! Fibonacci and the Golden ratio make cameo appearances and we wonder if there are laws dictating seasoning norms. Recommended reading: The History of Curly Frying.
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Episode 309: Vietnamese Junk Food
November 30th, 2017 | 27 mins 6 secs
Thanks to Listener Doctor Helena, we embark on a flavor journey that starts in joy and ends in tears. We keep it tight while encountering pleasing packaging and the taste of teacups. Finally, we attempt to answer the age old question: Swedish or savory?
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Episode 308: Pop Tarts
November 23rd, 2017 | 27 mins 43 secs
We may get off to a rocky start, but as Molly presents her treatise on Pop Tarts, things start to fire up. We learn about the origins of breakfast pastries, anthropomorphic marketing strategies and introduce a new segment: "Kelloggs or not?". Stick around for the special epilogue.
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Episode 307: Bagels
November 16th, 2017 | 30 mins 28 secs
Coming at you hot today to discuss yeasty dough rings. We learn about Matthew's hero complex and the merits of boiling, and encounter some very frightening dolls.
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Episode 306: Tokyo
November 9th, 2017 | 35 mins 19 secs
Today Matthew and Molly take Tokyo! We are turning strangers into friends as we discuss creamy heads, extravagant delis, and squid legs. Not to mention learning more than we ever bargained for about each other's personal habits.