Sauced

The most iconic dish in British cuisine was invented by a 13-year-old Jewish refugee, popularized by Italian immigrants in Scotland, and served with vinegar that — at most chip shops — is almost certainly fake. Fish and Chips is an immigrant masterpiece, and the real story is wilder than anyone gives it credit for.This week, we dig into the batter science that makes everything shatter: rice flour, ice cold vodka, and lager all working against gluten in different ways. The chips get a double fry. And we settle the great condiment debate — malt vinegar, ketchup, curry sauce, or the tartar sauce most Brits quietly ignore.The cocktail: The Good Companion — gin and dry vermouth with a homemade malt vinegar shrub, garnished with a Hayward's pickled onion.For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.podThanks to all of this week's partners:El Acabo Raicilla: https://pkgdgroup.com/#our_brands/Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

A spirited dive into chili history, from 19th century street vendors to the Terlingua cook-off feud. They map regional styles and the rules that fuel hot takes. Spicy techniques get step-by-step treatment, including a five-dried-chile sofrito and a two-dump spice method. Drinks get attention too, with beer cocktails and mole-forward spirited sips.

A storm forced an English merchant into a Sicilian port in 1773. The wine he discovered there ended up defining one of Italian America's most iconic dishes.This week we trace Chicken Marsala from that shipwrecked merchant to the red sauce joints of New York, unpacking how a fortified wine became the backbone of a one-pan classic. We break down Marsala's DOC classifications, debate why pounding chicken is pointless, and make the case for three types of mushrooms — quartered, never sliced. Plus the cooking order most recipes get wrong.The cocktail: an Italian Margarita — tequila, amaretto, citrus, and agave — built around the nutty, oxidized notes that bridge right back to the dish.For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.podThanks to all of this week's partners:Palomo Mezcal: https://pkgdgroup.com/post/palomo-who-we-are/ Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

Bouillabaisse might be the most argued-over dish in the French canon — and in 1980, a group of Marseille restaurateurs signed an actual charter to settle the debate. This week, we dig into the fisherman's stew that became a prince's feast: the origins on the rocky Calanques, the science behind that creamy golden broth (with no cream involved), and why your fishmonger matters more than any recipe.We break down the fish categories you need, why oily fish is a dealbreaker, the role of pastis and saffron (including the three compounds that activate when you bloom it), and two approaches to rouille — the garlic-saffron sauce that ties the whole dish together.The cocktail: The Mauresque — pastis, orgeat, and cold water. Simple, quenching, and straight from the south of France.For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.podThanks to all of this week’s partners:G4 Tequila: https://pkgdgroup.com/g4-tequila/Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

A culinary detective story tracing penne alla vodka from 1970s Italian nightclubs to its American reinvention. They dig into why vodka appears in a tomato sauce and the science behind alcohol extracting tomato aromas. Debate swirls over cream, chili, cheese, and what counts as authentic. They test vodka types, sketch a cookable method, and pair the dish with a vodka-forward cocktail.

Once called the "soup of drunkards," French onion soup was born in the shadow of Les Halles — Paris's legendary night market — where butchers and aristocrats ate elbow to elbow at 3 AM. The original version? No booze at all.This week, we're changing that. We commit to two versions of the recipe — one built on bourbon and dry French vermouth, the other on Cognac and Amontillado sherry. Along the way, we debate Jacques Pépin's 8-minute caramelization, break down why the Maillard reaction can't start until onions lose their 89% water content, and argue over whether Paul Bocuse — the chef of the century — was right to call the Les Halles version an "imitation."The cocktail: The Gratinée — an Adonis riff with Amontillado sherry, Dolin Rouge, a barspoon of XO Cognac, and fresh thyme.For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.podThanks to all of this week’s partners:Asil Raicilla de la Sierra: https://pkgdgroup.com/#our_brands/Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

A culinary origin story tracing Oysters Rockefeller from 1899 New Orleans to Antoine's and a snail-for-oyster swap. A cooking deep dive into compound butter, breadcrumb choices, shucking technique, and broiling tricks. Regional oyster differences and Gulf oyster dominance get a stats-backed cheat sheet. Anise spirits and the Obituary martini round out the food-and-drink pairing talk.

How much do you really know about America's favorite finger food?This week, Tim and Sother break down the contested origins of the buffalo wing — from the Anchor Bar's 1964 creation story to the overlooked counter-narrative of John Young's Wings and Things. They examine Calvin Trillin's landmark 1980 New Yorker piece and what it reveals about how food history gets written.Then it's on to technique: the science of crispy skin, why baking powder changes everything, and Tim's personal grill-to-air-fryer method that's become his go-to. Plus three original boozy wing sauces — a Bloody Viking–inspired aquavit glaze, a bourbon-sorghum barbecue, and a tangy hard cider preparation.To drink: the Bloody Viking cocktail with a Midwestern snit of pilsner on the side.For the full recipes and more, become a premium subscriber at https://sauced.supercast.com/Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.podThanks to all of this week’s partners:G4 Tequila: https://pkgdgroup.com/g4-tequila/Atheras Spirits: https://atherasspirits.com/Underberg: https://underbergamerica.com/

They trace the surprising history of coq au vin from ancient origin myths to Julia Child’s influence. They debate wine choices and explain why marinating overnight matters. They walk through butchery, braising technique, and essential ingredients like bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions. They close with pairing ideas and a mezcal pechuga cocktail inspired by cock ale lore.

Butter, batter, booze — and a whole lot of theatre. In this episode, we unpack Crêpes Suzette, the legendary French dessert that turns paper-thin pancakes into tableside spectacle. We dig into the (possibly apocryphal) origin story involving a 14-year-old waiter, the Prince of Wales, and an allegedly accidental flambé. Then we get into the real stuff: how to achieve that elusive crêpe consistency, why you should rest your batter overnight, and the case for adding lager to get those lacy, browned edges.On the booze front, we're going all in — beer in the batter, orange liqueur and Cognac in the sauce, and a flambé that actually serves a purpose beyond the drama. (Though the drama doesn't hurt.) We also share our Sauced-specific tweaks: toasted cardamom in the sauce, candied orange zest, and clementine slices for texture.The cocktail: Sidecar Suzette — a riff on the classic with Cognac, Grand Marnier, Demerara, and cardamom bitters. Shake it, strain it, flame an orange peel over the top.Premium subscribers get the full recipe card with quantities, techniques, and the cocktail specs. Head to saucedpodcast.com to sign up.Follow us on Instagram: @sauced.podThanks to all of this week's partners:Tequila El Viejito: https://pkgdgroup.com/#our_brandsUnderberg: https://underbergamerica.com/