Spilled Milk
Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster-Burton
Every week on Spilled Milk, writers/comedians Molly Wizenberg and Matthew Amster-Burton start with a food-related topic, from apples to winter squash, and run with it as far as they can go—and, regrettably, sometimes further.
- 27 minutes 43 secondsEpisode 747: Pastrami
Beep Beep! We're flying the friendly skies to Pastrami Land via Rye Air and hope to avoid blowouts along the way. We learn how babies are made and how cult leaders are killed as we attempt to list out Romanian facts before meeting Grandma Sycamore. Then we land on some creative storage solutions and solicit listeners' signature sandwiches.
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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23 April 2026, 2:00 pm - 26 minutes 29 secondsEpisode 746: Pickled Ginger
After assigning yet another segment theme song to Producer Abby, M &M recount sushi experiences both childish and VERY adult. They wonder about the color red, the concept that is Mr Etymology and the tenets of post-modernism before deciding to avoid haunted floor plans altogether.
Character referenced: 紅
Matthew's Now but Wow - Strange Pictures, by Uketsu
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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16 April 2026, 2:00 pm - 26 minutes 57 secondsEpisode 745: Vinaigrette
Today we tackle these countertop jars as we lose interest in birthdays and deliver inside jokes to subscribers only. We deal with dressings, Blink 002 and a brand new special guest who oozes everywhere before declaring that ignorance is bliss. Through emulsifiers and polarities we finally decide on our vinaigrette boundaries even as we deny mustard its due.
Matthew's Salmon Cucumber dish
4 salmon fillets, about 8 ounces each, skin on
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 English cucumber, halved, seeded and cut on the diagonal into half-moons
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/4 cup red-wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 scallions, white parts only, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Season the salmon with salt and pepper on both sides. Put 1 tablespoon olive oil into a 12-inch ovenproof skillet and place over high heat until oil is shiny.
2. Add the salmon fillets to the pan, skin side up. Sear one minute. Flip the fillets and transfer the pan to the oven. Roast until medium rare, 6 to 8 minutes (you can check for doneness by peeking between the flakes).
3. While fish is roasting, place the cucumbers in a bowl and add the shallot, remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, sugar, scallions and mustard seeds. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.
4. Divide the cucumbers evenly among four plates. Place a salmon fillet, skin side up, on top of each portion of cucumbers. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and serve.
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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9 April 2026, 2:00 pm - 26 minutes 26 secondsEpisode 744: Sandwich Crackers
Today we encounter high pitched flavors as we taste the brioche of crackers. We name the world's greatest toy and crown a new PEFP as we endure chemical tangs, frissons of danger and failed musical analogies. After some homespun tales and an exciting Spilled Mail, we burst into song yet again even though we hate musicals because it is other people who burst into song.
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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2 April 2026, 2:00 pm - 33 minutes 56 secondsEpisode 743: Corned Beef Sandwiches
Hey buddies! We're coming to you from medieval times with yet another sandwich episode. As we spend wooden nickels on our favorite carousel rides we second guess our movie knowledge before letting slip a giant reveal about Mr. Etymology. Then we let listeners in on a live comedy workshopping session before finally succumbing to the meat sleepies.
Matthew's Corned Beef Recipe
- Rub the brisket all over with lots of kosher salt and spices of your choice. Matthew uses: Black pepper, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, fresh garlic, brown sugar,, and crushed bay leaves. MSG is also a good idea and I used some.
- Rub the brisket all over, including any crevices, and put it in one of those big 2- or 2.5 gallon zipper bags. Put it in a sheet pan or casserole pan and stick it in the fridge.
- Flip it over daily for a week, rinse and pat it dry, and it’s ready to cook! You can also freeze it at this point.
- Then braise it for a few hours until tender, and slice.
Matthew's Now but Wow! - Automatic Noodle, Annalee Newitz
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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26 March 2026, 2:00 pm - Rub the brisket all over with lots of kosher salt and spices of your choice. Matthew uses: Black pepper, coriander, cinnamon, allspice, ground ginger, mustard seeds, crushed red pepper, fresh garlic, brown sugar,, and crushed bay leaves. MSG is also a good idea and I used some.
- 36 minutes 3 secondsEpisode 742: Iodized Salt
We are burning the midnight oil to bring you one more thing to worry about, goiters. We meet some French chemists and give ourselves a totally achievable goal for 2026 as we decide to let them eat caviar. After a visit to The Goiter Belt we address our own snobbery and delusional taste buds before tackling crystalline structures and musician magicians.
Molly's Now but Wow! - Fela Kuti: Fear No Man: podcast
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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19 March 2026, 2:00 pm - 23 minutes 47 secondsEpisode 741: Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
We're coming to you live from Matthew's ruined kitchen to discuss a breaded and fried meat sandwich created with great pounding force. (so. much. pounding.) As we take a break from felling trees and grilling we chat about Iowa Skinnies, Minnesota Fatties and exhausted exhaust fans before bestowing new job titles onto Producer Abby which were all news to her.
ATK’s How to Make Pork Tenderloin Sandwich
Matthew's Now but Wow! - Letter from Japan by Marie Kondo
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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12 March 2026, 2:00 pm - 46 minutes 58 secondsEpisode 740: Solo Travel
Today we're alone together as we take listeners along our solo travels to Paris, Tokyo, Rome, Lisbon and Bainbridge Island with Special Guest Producer Abby. While HOTPOTS walks alone we discuss loneliness, crying and experiments in small talk before realizing that there is a fine line between crazy and astute. Through whims and wandering we follow sage advice from WOTSL and share how much better jet lag and eating out solo can be because we are never irritated with ourselves.
Episode 651: Cast Iron Skillet with Michele Norris
Molly's Posts on Traveling Alone
Matthew's Now but Wow - De La Soul, Cabin in the Sky
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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5 March 2026, 3:00 pm - 27 minutes 39 secondsEpisode 739: Condiment Packets
Today we tackle Matthew's fears, hoop houses and micro tubules as we taste these tiny format condiments. After our two musical hating hosts spontaneously burst into song, they ask when, where and why do we eat these? will it packet? and is it worth its weight? With some prudish notions and shlunks, sploots, shloops and stomps food drowning becomes inevitable.
Molly's Now but Wow! - A Burning, by Megha Majumdar
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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26 February 2026, 3:00 pm - 39 minutes 8 secondsEpisode 738: Japanese Pickles
We're switching things up for Producer Abby's birthday and thank ourselves before secrets are revealed. We have a brush with a concussion and anoxic pockets as we taste a panoply of pickles then discuss their role in cuisine and in our lives as the universal friend before we decide to just close our eyes and keep crunching.
Matthew's Now but Wow! - K-Foodie meets J-Foodie
Early to the Airport - Operation Meteor
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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19 February 2026, 3:00 pm - 47 minutes 43 secondsEpisode 737: Refrigerated Cakes
Alright, whether you are in a closet or in Tokyo let's clear the air here with some sold cold, easy treats. We get deep into history and call Mr. Etymology on his vacation to taste 12 cool cakes and debate The Useless Pumpkins. I'll tell you right now, if you don't like the word 'moist' you aren't going to like this episode because M & M taste opera cakes, cheese cakes, cream cakes, tree cakes and tea cakes before naming their favorite glycerides, bugbears and jingle hits finally ending the episode with a brazen bowl selection.
JustOneCookbook Castella Cake
Matthew's Bands: Early to the Airport and Twilight Diners
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12 February 2026, 3:00 pm - More Episodes? Get the App