1 00:00:08,800 --> 00:00:10,920 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Savor Protection of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:10,960 --> 00:00:13,320 Speaker 1: I'm Anny Reach and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we 3 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,400 Speaker 1: have an episode for you about Tater Tots. Yes, and 4 00:00:17,560 --> 00:00:23,239 Speaker 1: I know people love some tater You're You're not so 5 00:00:23,360 --> 00:00:27,720 Speaker 1: much a fan, though, are you? No? I mean they're fine, 6 00:00:27,800 --> 00:00:31,320 Speaker 1: but I would always always always choose fries ever Tater Totts, 7 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:34,120 Speaker 1: and I've actually been thinking about why that is, and 8 00:00:34,560 --> 00:00:37,239 Speaker 1: like in general or because of this episode, because of 9 00:00:37,280 --> 00:00:41,440 Speaker 1: this episode, um, I do, I will say a friend 10 00:00:41,520 --> 00:00:43,960 Speaker 1: because we run in a big Tater Talk crew here, 11 00:00:44,000 --> 00:00:46,800 Speaker 1: we do. UM. A lot of people ordered Tater Talks 12 00:00:46,840 --> 00:00:49,960 Speaker 1: to share and um. Samantha over on the other podcasts, 13 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:52,960 Speaker 1: I do. Steff mom ever told you she found out 14 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,680 Speaker 1: that I always, like, I'm never super happy when Tater 15 00:00:57,760 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: Talts arrived, and she was like disappointed. She was like 16 00:01:02,920 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 1: visibly distressed at this information. I mean, I'm they're fine, 17 00:01:10,240 --> 00:01:12,680 Speaker 1: I'm happy with them, but I think it's the in 18 00:01:12,800 --> 00:01:14,760 Speaker 1: thinking about this, I think it's something with the oil. 19 00:01:15,840 --> 00:01:20,200 Speaker 1: It reminds me of like I don't want to say 20 00:01:20,240 --> 00:01:25,600 Speaker 1: bad breakfast, but I wasn't a big breakfast person growing up, 21 00:01:25,640 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 1: and I feel like I a lot of foods that 22 00:01:27,160 --> 00:01:29,360 Speaker 1: I eat for breakfast, even if I kind of liked them, 23 00:01:29,400 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: just got associated with being miserable and making myself eat 24 00:01:32,640 --> 00:01:36,680 Speaker 1: food for breakfast. Okay, and tater tots have gotten wrapped 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,800 Speaker 1: up in that because of things like hash browns. All right, Um, 26 00:01:41,920 --> 00:01:45,080 Speaker 1: I will, I will admit that I am. It depends, 27 00:01:45,080 --> 00:01:48,240 Speaker 1: It depends on the restaurant in question. I am more 28 00:01:48,360 --> 00:01:52,120 Speaker 1: likely to order a fry than a tater tot. Um. 29 00:01:52,160 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: If I am ordering a tater tot, it's because I 30 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:59,720 Speaker 1: have a very low opinion of your French fries. Take note, 31 00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:06,200 Speaker 1: straw Lauren Lauren V comes in that door, he doesn't 32 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:09,880 Speaker 1: order the froze, gets the tots need to need to 33 00:02:09,919 --> 00:02:13,640 Speaker 1: take some things in stock. It's because exist because I 34 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:17,919 Speaker 1: like a crispy yet tender potato product, and so if 35 00:02:17,960 --> 00:02:22,400 Speaker 1: your fry is not crisp enough, then I'm gonna go taught. 36 00:02:22,880 --> 00:02:29,200 Speaker 1: You know, I'm gonna go taught occasionally. When I was 37 00:02:29,240 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 1: growing up, we didn't have um frozen potato products in 38 00:02:35,520 --> 00:02:37,880 Speaker 1: general that often, so we didn't have fries that often, 39 00:02:37,919 --> 00:02:40,200 Speaker 1: but we had tato tests even less so. And my 40 00:02:40,280 --> 00:02:43,120 Speaker 1: brother has always kind of liked them. But I would 41 00:02:43,320 --> 00:02:45,120 Speaker 1: it would be like a loss that day for me. 42 00:02:45,400 --> 00:02:49,480 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, my brothers haven't won this battle. Yeah. I 43 00:02:49,520 --> 00:02:52,480 Speaker 1: don't think we ever purchased those as a household when 44 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:54,960 Speaker 1: I was growing up. It just wasn't part of the 45 00:02:55,000 --> 00:03:00,400 Speaker 1: food group that my dad was into. Um so I 46 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: I remember. I think like when I hit college and started, 47 00:03:04,919 --> 00:03:07,400 Speaker 1: you know, doing my own all of my own grocery shopping, 48 00:03:07,520 --> 00:03:09,519 Speaker 1: that that was the first time I was like, there 49 00:03:09,560 --> 00:03:14,200 Speaker 1: are a lot of frozen potatoes. There are so many. Yeah, 50 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,880 Speaker 1: it was a surprise, yes, And I do know a 51 00:03:17,960 --> 00:03:24,200 Speaker 1: lot of people associate them with school lunches um, often 52 00:03:24,320 --> 00:03:27,480 Speaker 1: rather fondly, because we're coming out kind of against not against, 53 00:03:27,480 --> 00:03:32,880 Speaker 1: but like not super fans of tater tots. Um that 54 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,680 Speaker 1: I know that for some people that they have a 55 00:03:35,720 --> 00:03:38,640 Speaker 1: pleasant nostalgic experience with that, whereas I think I have 56 00:03:38,680 --> 00:03:45,280 Speaker 1: a negative anymore. Yeah, I do. Like I've had some 57 00:03:45,320 --> 00:03:49,760 Speaker 1: really good tachos sure, of course, like tater tot ncho. 58 00:03:51,640 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 1: I know it does cut me up, and so do 59 00:03:53,440 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 1: those tater tot waffles. They make me laugh as well. 60 00:03:56,480 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: I've never done that, but I have a friend who 61 00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:01,520 Speaker 1: has done it and mosted several pictures of it on 62 00:04:01,560 --> 00:04:08,600 Speaker 1: her Instagram, And I mean it looks good. Sure, I guess, 63 00:04:08,640 --> 00:04:12,560 Speaker 1: I guess I do. I do really like a tatto. Yeah, 64 00:04:12,560 --> 00:04:14,040 Speaker 1: I feel like I was trying to remember whin. But 65 00:04:14,080 --> 00:04:15,960 Speaker 1: I feel like you and I had some good tatchos 66 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:18,960 Speaker 1: at some food festival we went to. That sounds highly likely. 67 00:04:19,480 --> 00:04:24,880 Speaker 1: Um it does. Indeed. Uh, National tater Taught Day is 68 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 1: February second, but it's an unofficial national day. It's not 69 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,920 Speaker 1: like approved by Congress or whatever. It is. Like apparently 70 00:04:33,120 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 1: like some dude on Twitter just made it up in 71 00:04:35,400 --> 00:04:40,839 Speaker 1: two thousand nine and it became like retweeted enough basically 72 00:04:41,160 --> 00:04:46,479 Speaker 1: that it got picked up. Wow. I'm shocked it doesn't 73 00:04:46,520 --> 00:04:49,599 Speaker 1: have an official holiday. I don't know if I should be, 74 00:04:49,760 --> 00:04:53,360 Speaker 1: but I am. If you think that the like National 75 00:04:53,400 --> 00:04:56,719 Speaker 1: Potato Council would have gotten on that, come on, come 76 00:04:56,760 --> 00:05:02,239 Speaker 1: on now. Also, I love that someone people are like, yes, retreat, retweet, 77 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:07,320 Speaker 1: retweet that. Now. It's kind of a thing anyway. Um, 78 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,520 Speaker 1: and for this episode, if you want to learn more, 79 00:05:10,600 --> 00:05:13,719 Speaker 1: you can see past episodes we've done on French fries, Latka's, 80 00:05:14,279 --> 00:05:18,400 Speaker 1: and frozen food. Yes. But in the meantime, I guess 81 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 1: this brings us to our question, tater tots, what are they? Well? Uh, 82 00:05:28,160 --> 00:05:32,880 Speaker 1: tater tot is a small cylindrical mass of peeled, shredded, 83 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:36,279 Speaker 1: cooked white potato that's bound together with a little starch 84 00:05:36,440 --> 00:05:39,440 Speaker 1: or some other kind of binder and then deep fried 85 00:05:39,560 --> 00:05:42,760 Speaker 1: or baked until it's a soft and hot on the 86 00:05:42,800 --> 00:05:46,839 Speaker 1: inside and and golden and crispy on the outside, probably 87 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:49,159 Speaker 1: like a maybe like an inch long three quarters of 88 00:05:49,160 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 1: an inch across. Um there, they're like the McNuggets of 89 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 1: the potato world. Um, like a like a tiny meatloaf, 90 00:05:56,720 --> 00:06:01,279 Speaker 1: but just potato, like a like a little French fry, 91 00:06:01,320 --> 00:06:05,760 Speaker 1: but with texture like a plain but palpable latka um, 92 00:06:06,040 --> 00:06:13,680 Speaker 1: like a small singular hash brown. All excellent descriptors. I 93 00:06:13,760 --> 00:06:16,599 Speaker 1: like the texture that sounds like something you'd say about 94 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:22,200 Speaker 1: someone who has like attitude or oh she's got texture 95 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:29,520 Speaker 1: texture exactly, which I like. Thinking in the potato world, 96 00:06:29,720 --> 00:06:38,480 Speaker 1: the tater tots are chaotic potato beans. Definitely chaotic, neutral 97 00:06:38,600 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 1: absolutely Uh. Yeah. The term tater tot is actually trademarked UM. 98 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:50,479 Speaker 1: It's specifically a brand under the frozen food producer or 99 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:54,240 Speaker 1: ida Um. Similar products are sold under other names that 100 00:06:54,279 --> 00:06:57,440 Speaker 1: often include either the word tater or taught, but not 101 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:00,960 Speaker 1: both for legal purposes. Out Side the US, they go 102 00:07:01,040 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: by other names UM like potato gems apparently is what 103 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:08,479 Speaker 1: you call them in Australia. UM or potato nuggets is 104 00:07:08,520 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: pretty common, right in. Let us know if there's some 105 00:07:11,160 --> 00:07:14,880 Speaker 1: weird thing that you referred to this as in your 106 00:07:14,920 --> 00:07:18,480 Speaker 1: neck of the woods, Well they probably think we're weird 107 00:07:18,600 --> 00:07:21,679 Speaker 1: with our tater tots is a very funny name. Well 108 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:28,200 Speaker 1: we are you not incorrect? But please? Yes? Right? Yeah, 109 00:07:28,240 --> 00:07:31,120 Speaker 1: I was like gems potato heck yeah, And I know 110 00:07:32,960 --> 00:07:37,280 Speaker 1: tots can be handmade, but they're more often an industrial product, 111 00:07:37,920 --> 00:07:42,160 Speaker 1: machine formed and sold frozen to restaurants and consumers alike. 112 00:07:43,080 --> 00:07:46,920 Speaker 1: Or Ida's tots are formed by pushing the cooked, shredded 113 00:07:46,960 --> 00:07:51,440 Speaker 1: tater dough um through a cylindrical extruder and then slicing 114 00:07:51,480 --> 00:07:57,160 Speaker 1: off each individual tot um. They sell regular, extra crispy, mini, 115 00:07:57,200 --> 00:08:01,040 Speaker 1: and microwavable varieties. Tod canna be made with other things 116 00:08:01,040 --> 00:08:03,600 Speaker 1: than just white potato. Sweet potato is the most common 117 00:08:03,720 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 1: other vegge can be UM can be used or blended 118 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:11,440 Speaker 1: with the potato. I read about pickle tots like half potato, 119 00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:17,240 Speaker 1: half pickle that this one restaurant was making somewhere. I 120 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,640 Speaker 1: didn't write that down, but I want to try that 121 00:08:20,680 --> 00:08:25,920 Speaker 1: because fried pickles are great, fried potatoes are great. I 122 00:08:25,960 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: need to try the combination anyway, Okay, Yeah, and you know, yeah, 123 00:08:29,800 --> 00:08:32,600 Speaker 1: like tots are pretty popular as a snack food or 124 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:36,680 Speaker 1: side dish, partially because I mean, you know, like fried potatoes. Um, 125 00:08:36,720 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: but also yeah, like that that that texture of the 126 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:44,679 Speaker 1: shredded potato creates um, a large surface area on this 127 00:08:44,800 --> 00:08:48,280 Speaker 1: really tiny package, which can add um, more crunch, more 128 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 1: places for the oil to get in and crisp up, 129 00:08:50,880 --> 00:08:53,200 Speaker 1: or just for the oil to cling and you know, 130 00:08:53,320 --> 00:08:56,280 Speaker 1: be all fatty and tasty. Um. You can also catch 131 00:08:56,320 --> 00:09:00,480 Speaker 1: lots of dipping sauce on a tot, so if you're 132 00:09:00,559 --> 00:09:04,080 Speaker 1: using them as a vehicle for like catchup or ranch 133 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:11,200 Speaker 1: or whatever it is, then m h yeah. But speaking 134 00:09:11,280 --> 00:09:19,679 Speaker 1: of what about the nutrition usually in our outlines, uh, y'all, 135 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:23,080 Speaker 1: I have written something down um in the nutrition section, 136 00:09:23,120 --> 00:09:27,880 Speaker 1: and I just didn't hear. Um. It's I mean, I mean, 137 00:09:27,920 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 1: potatoes are a fine food. Um. You know, they've got 138 00:09:32,120 --> 00:09:37,640 Speaker 1: a lot of micronutrients and starches. Um. Once you skin um, 139 00:09:38,160 --> 00:09:43,200 Speaker 1: there's less of that. Uh, micronutrient stuff once once you've 140 00:09:43,280 --> 00:09:45,760 Speaker 1: deep fried. Um, it's it's a treat. It's a treat, 141 00:09:45,840 --> 00:09:49,560 Speaker 1: solidly in the treat category. Treats are delicious, have them, 142 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:54,000 Speaker 1: enjoy them. Yes, we're big, big proponents of treats here 143 00:09:54,040 --> 00:09:58,800 Speaker 1: at Saber Goodness we are heck oh yes, um, we 144 00:09:58,840 --> 00:10:02,959 Speaker 1: do have some numbers for you. As of seventeen, Americans 145 00:10:02,960 --> 00:10:08,880 Speaker 1: were reportedly eating an annual seventy million pounds of tater tots. Uh. 146 00:10:08,920 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 1: There were several stories about UM comfort foods during COVID, 147 00:10:12,720 --> 00:10:16,319 Speaker 1: and several of those stories did specifically cite tater tots. 148 00:10:16,320 --> 00:10:19,320 Speaker 1: People did say like this is the comfort food that 149 00:10:19,400 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: got me through the worst of it or whatever. Yeah, 150 00:10:23,240 --> 00:10:26,000 Speaker 1: and or Ida UM is a big part of the 151 00:10:26,040 --> 00:10:31,160 Speaker 1: frozen potato game. UM. I read varying numbers of between 152 00:10:31,200 --> 00:10:34,720 Speaker 1: a quarter two up to half of the Like US 153 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:40,560 Speaker 1: frozen potato market is controlled by or Ida. There are 154 00:10:40,720 --> 00:10:43,960 Speaker 1: tater tot eating contests. Of course, there are UM including 155 00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:48,800 Speaker 1: bar Louise Rock the Tot Contest, where in two thousand 156 00:10:48,800 --> 00:10:51,920 Speaker 1: and ten Carl deslom eight three and a half pounds 157 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:54,800 Speaker 1: about one point six kilos of tater tots in six minutes, 158 00:10:56,240 --> 00:11:03,560 Speaker 1: then then in Dan would eight four pounds two ounces 159 00:11:03,600 --> 00:11:12,000 Speaker 1: in three minutes at Bar Louise National Rock the Top Championship. Yeah, 160 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:15,920 Speaker 1: that's like one point nine kilos um. I think that's 161 00:11:16,040 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: the Guinness record. I think it is still held. Um. 162 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,000 Speaker 1: And as as as his prize, he can eat tots 163 00:11:23,080 --> 00:11:29,240 Speaker 1: for free for life at Bar Louis lucations around the country. Oh, 164 00:11:29,280 --> 00:11:32,440 Speaker 1: I'd be showing that off. It's like everybody, Oh, I 165 00:11:32,520 --> 00:11:36,640 Speaker 1: know where we could go. Oh, just three talks for 166 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,240 Speaker 1: the table and then you have to explain the story. 167 00:11:41,400 --> 00:11:46,440 Speaker 1: Nothing nopig. Just over four pounds of dater thoughts in 168 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:57,440 Speaker 1: three minutes. That's all. Um. But you know this, Uh, 169 00:11:57,720 --> 00:11:59,800 Speaker 1: can I have a strategy? That's what I'm curious about. 170 00:12:00,559 --> 00:12:04,439 Speaker 1: But further researcher at different times. Yeah, yeah, I didn't. Um, 171 00:12:04,440 --> 00:12:08,240 Speaker 1: I didn't read that deeply into it. Unfortunately now I'm 172 00:12:08,240 --> 00:12:12,640 Speaker 1: regretting it. That's okay. Those those eating competitions can get 173 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:18,640 Speaker 1: a little hard to stomach. Um. And we have a 174 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,920 Speaker 1: lot of really interesting history on the dator taught for you. 175 00:12:22,240 --> 00:12:25,320 Speaker 1: We do, UM. But first we've got a quick break 176 00:12:25,320 --> 00:12:36,000 Speaker 1: for a word from our sponsor and we're back. Thank 177 00:12:36,040 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: you sponsored, Yes, thank you So the story of the 178 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:45,600 Speaker 1: Tator taught is the story of American ovation and determination. 179 00:12:46,520 --> 00:12:48,480 Speaker 1: It's so great. I'm so happy that we were going 180 00:12:48,520 --> 00:12:50,600 Speaker 1: to share this with everyone. Um and a lot of 181 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:53,800 Speaker 1: it asked to do with Mormon brothers f Niefi and 182 00:12:53,960 --> 00:12:58,280 Speaker 1: Golden grig Um. So I'm gonna be calling him Niefi 183 00:12:58,520 --> 00:13:00,959 Speaker 1: throughout because that's what everyone did in the articles, and 184 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:03,679 Speaker 1: I'm assuming it so you can differentiate between the two brothers. 185 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,360 Speaker 1: But nor, I just say that because normally I feel 186 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,240 Speaker 1: weird about using someone's first name, and I shouldn't. I 187 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:13,079 Speaker 1: don't know why You're like, I don't know him like that. 188 00:13:13,200 --> 00:13:16,440 Speaker 1: I should be referring to him by his surname. It 189 00:13:16,440 --> 00:13:19,120 Speaker 1: would be more polite. No, I get it, I get it, 190 00:13:19,160 --> 00:13:25,360 Speaker 1: But thank you, Lauren um So NiFi Um, considered the 191 00:13:25,440 --> 00:13:28,400 Speaker 1: leader of this brother brother Duo, was born in Idaho, 192 00:13:28,480 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 1: in meaning he grew up during the Great Depression. He 193 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:35,160 Speaker 1: dropped out of high school and along with his brother, 194 00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:40,560 Speaker 1: sold potatoes and corn, barely making a living. Um NiFi 195 00:13:40,720 --> 00:13:45,360 Speaker 1: was completely sure that frozen food was the future of produce, 196 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:48,400 Speaker 1: so he mortgaged their farms for a down payment on 197 00:13:48,440 --> 00:13:51,840 Speaker 1: a flash raising plant in Oregon about five hundred and 198 00:13:51,840 --> 00:13:55,360 Speaker 1: fifty thousand dollars the modern equivalent of four point five 199 00:13:55,720 --> 00:14:01,120 Speaker 1: million dollars. Yeah, and because it was located on the 200 00:14:01,120 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: border with Idaho, they named the factory after both states, 201 00:14:05,080 --> 00:14:13,960 Speaker 1: or Ida, which I never ever questioned or asked, like, oh, um, yeah, 202 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,360 Speaker 1: that's eventually the name they arrived at. It went through 203 00:14:16,400 --> 00:14:18,440 Speaker 1: a few others. First, I'm just going to be using 204 00:14:18,559 --> 00:14:22,560 Speaker 1: or Ida, um, but yes, that is why it has 205 00:14:22,600 --> 00:14:26,320 Speaker 1: that name. NiFi was right about frozen food being the 206 00:14:26,360 --> 00:14:29,240 Speaker 1: future in America, as we discussed in our Frozen Food episode. 207 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:32,800 Speaker 1: The nineteen fifties was a decade of frozen food innovation, 208 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: when Americans were eager for quick, easy, modern meals to 209 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: eat in front of their newly widely available televisions. Um 210 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:46,160 Speaker 1: the so called TV dinner that was advertised on television, 211 00:14:46,320 --> 00:14:49,440 Speaker 1: which I love, is kind of a cycle as flashy 212 00:14:49,520 --> 00:14:54,120 Speaker 1: yet simple, technologically advanced but easy. Or Ida was right 213 00:14:54,240 --> 00:14:56,600 Speaker 1: at the forefront of all of this, and they were 214 00:14:56,600 --> 00:15:01,360 Speaker 1: the largest distributor of sweet corn in ninet one, the 215 00:15:01,440 --> 00:15:07,080 Speaker 1: big money maker though the French fries. A few years 216 00:15:07,120 --> 00:15:11,680 Speaker 1: earlier in j R. Simplott, also out of Idaho, innovated 217 00:15:11,720 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: a way to freeze French fries without the unfortunate consequence 218 00:15:15,200 --> 00:15:19,600 Speaker 1: of turning them black. Yeah. Yeah, there was still room 219 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:23,280 Speaker 1: for improvement. However, as Niefi later put it, quote, we 220 00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:26,040 Speaker 1: had a problem with separating the fries from the slivers 221 00:15:26,040 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: and small pieces of potatoes that occurred when slicing the 222 00:15:29,040 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: irregular shaped potatoes. Okay, okay. The situation changed when representatives 223 00:15:35,640 --> 00:15:39,400 Speaker 1: from a manufacturing equipment company showed up trying to sell 224 00:15:39,560 --> 00:15:42,120 Speaker 1: or write on a prune sorter. They kind of just 225 00:15:42,680 --> 00:15:46,000 Speaker 1: out of the blue showed up trying to sell them 226 00:15:46,040 --> 00:15:49,040 Speaker 1: on this, and rather than turning them away, knee FI 227 00:15:49,200 --> 00:15:54,520 Speaker 1: and its plant superintendent Slim Burton great Name, asked some 228 00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:58,320 Speaker 1: follow up questions about a possible redesign of this equipment, 229 00:15:59,040 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: mainly to solve the problem NiFi described and separate out 230 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:06,960 Speaker 1: the unwanted potato bits from the prized French fry. The 231 00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,880 Speaker 1: representatives assured them that it could be done. Um NiFi 232 00:16:11,040 --> 00:16:14,360 Speaker 1: determined the potato scraps would go to feed livestock on 233 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:16,200 Speaker 1: their land, but it turned out to be way too 234 00:16:16,200 --> 00:16:19,040 Speaker 1: many scraps for that, and NiFi did not want to 235 00:16:19,080 --> 00:16:22,440 Speaker 1: waste a product that had been purchased, peeled, basically gone 236 00:16:22,440 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 1: through the whole factory shebang. So they got to work 237 00:16:27,040 --> 00:16:30,080 Speaker 1: figure out a way to use these leftover pieces, eventually 238 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:34,640 Speaker 1: using this new machinery to combine the pieces together, blanching them, 239 00:16:34,640 --> 00:16:37,840 Speaker 1: shaping them, cooking them in oil, and freezing them. Uh. 240 00:16:37,880 --> 00:16:40,520 Speaker 1: The original idea was for them to be fried, but consumers, 241 00:16:40,960 --> 00:16:43,360 Speaker 1: they would find out, liked them just as much baked, 242 00:16:43,440 --> 00:16:51,600 Speaker 1: so the branding was reformulated and valla. But what about 243 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:55,160 Speaker 1: the name? According to NiFi, one of the men on 244 00:16:55,200 --> 00:16:58,240 Speaker 1: the research committee, who quote traveled the markets playing a 245 00:16:58,360 --> 00:17:02,320 Speaker 1: ukulele and demonstrating our product. I want to know more, please, 246 00:17:03,120 --> 00:17:06,280 Speaker 1: um arrived at the name with the help of a 247 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:10,919 Speaker 1: thesaurus and alliteration. Or Ida wasted no time in trademarking 248 00:17:10,920 --> 00:17:12,800 Speaker 1: the name. Yes, I did not know. It was trademarked 249 00:17:12,800 --> 00:17:18,360 Speaker 1: either buying and refining new machinery and soon mass production 250 00:17:18,680 --> 00:17:22,359 Speaker 1: was under way. Or the name was the result of 251 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:26,080 Speaker 1: a contest the company held. The winning intrigue came from 252 00:17:26,119 --> 00:17:29,359 Speaker 1: housewife Clara Ley Orton, and it was a combo of 253 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:32,200 Speaker 1: the slang word for potatoes, taters and taughts, the slang 254 00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:37,560 Speaker 1: for small children. So basically baby potatoes. Um, it was 255 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,120 Speaker 1: interesting to me how many times you'll find both stories 256 00:17:40,480 --> 00:17:44,359 Speaker 1: repeated and like credible sources and even company resources. I 257 00:17:44,359 --> 00:17:50,440 Speaker 1: don't know mysteries history. Um, there were still some kinks 258 00:17:50,480 --> 00:17:53,240 Speaker 1: to work out, particularly when it came to the machinery 259 00:17:53,359 --> 00:17:58,320 Speaker 1: dealing with sticky potato products and refinering continued and I'm 260 00:17:58,359 --> 00:18:05,240 Speaker 1: sure continues to this day. Sure In NiFi and Golden 261 00:18:05,440 --> 00:18:09,399 Speaker 1: traveled from their headquarters of Varita to Miami, Florida to 262 00:18:09,440 --> 00:18:14,200 Speaker 1: attend the National Potato Convention, held at a ritzy hotel 263 00:18:14,359 --> 00:18:17,080 Speaker 1: on Miami Beach. On one of the mornings that the 264 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:20,240 Speaker 1: convention was underway, nief I convinced the chef to cook 265 00:18:20,640 --> 00:18:24,000 Speaker 1: this new creation. He transported with them to serve two 266 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:29,879 Speaker 1: attendees as samples over fifteen pounds worth of data dots um. 267 00:18:29,920 --> 00:18:33,160 Speaker 1: They were served on small saucers and were a huge hit. 268 00:18:33,840 --> 00:18:36,720 Speaker 1: When describing it thirty five years later, NiFe I said, 269 00:18:37,000 --> 00:18:39,640 Speaker 1: these were all gobbled up faster than a dead cat 270 00:18:39,680 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 1: could wag its tail. Never heard that one. That's a 271 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:49,919 Speaker 1: new one for me. And he was full of intense quotes. 272 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,520 Speaker 1: Here's a sampling, bite off more than you can chew 273 00:18:53,960 --> 00:18:58,880 Speaker 1: than chew it or the tater tot is the hero 274 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 1: in the history of the saga of ore Ida Foods Incorporated. Um. 275 00:19:03,359 --> 00:19:05,879 Speaker 1: And that quote was the opening line from a five 276 00:19:05,920 --> 00:19:08,639 Speaker 1: page personal account of how the tater Tot came to 277 00:19:08,760 --> 00:19:11,840 Speaker 1: be that NiFi wrote at the request of an Oreida 278 00:19:11,920 --> 00:19:14,320 Speaker 1: employee in nineteen eight nine. This employee was like, how 279 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:19,119 Speaker 1: come we don't have a history anywhere? Contacted NiFi and 280 00:19:19,520 --> 00:19:23,280 Speaker 1: he wrote this essay. NiFi would later call tater tots 281 00:19:23,280 --> 00:19:28,240 Speaker 1: the quote hero profit item. So okay, you know the 282 00:19:28,320 --> 00:19:35,040 Speaker 1: tater thoughts big big news here o. UM. It didn't 283 00:19:35,040 --> 00:19:37,160 Speaker 1: take on for people across the country to take note 284 00:19:37,200 --> 00:19:39,760 Speaker 1: of tater tots, and they were mentioned in write ups 285 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:42,840 Speaker 1: all over. The success of the top was enough that 286 00:19:42,920 --> 00:19:45,919 Speaker 1: Orida claimed a quarter of the frozen potato market in 287 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:48,680 Speaker 1: the nineteen fifties, and they had to open a second 288 00:19:48,720 --> 00:19:52,600 Speaker 1: plant to keep up with demand in nineteen sixty. A 289 00:19:52,680 --> 00:19:55,600 Speaker 1: year later, they went public, and by nineteen sixty four 290 00:19:55,880 --> 00:19:59,160 Speaker 1: they were raking in thirty one million dollars a year. 291 00:19:59,800 --> 00:20:04,080 Speaker 1: Or It became a household name, but there were issues. 292 00:20:04,119 --> 00:20:08,600 Speaker 1: Employees complained of nepotism at the company, and Hines eventually 293 00:20:08,600 --> 00:20:13,919 Speaker 1: bought the company in for thirty million dollars UM and 294 00:20:13,960 --> 00:20:16,440 Speaker 1: stepping back a bit, this is a separate episode for sure, 295 00:20:16,800 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: but I wanted to include it because I know people 296 00:20:18,680 --> 00:20:23,200 Speaker 1: would be like, you didn't say, but the popular Midwest 297 00:20:23,240 --> 00:20:26,040 Speaker 1: cast role called hot Dish, the recipe of which first 298 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 1: appeared in writing in the United States and UM. This 299 00:20:29,920 --> 00:20:33,000 Speaker 1: dish largely adopted a topping of tater tots as soon 300 00:20:33,080 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 1: no tater tots became available, and from what I understand, 301 00:20:36,320 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 1: that is the norm now as the tato Yes, that 302 00:20:41,600 --> 00:20:45,200 Speaker 1: is what I also understand. But again, whole separate episode. 303 00:20:45,600 --> 00:20:50,520 Speaker 1: We we want to give hot Dish the time and 304 00:20:50,680 --> 00:20:55,320 Speaker 1: care that it deserves. We do. Indeed, we would never 305 00:20:55,680 --> 00:21:03,600 Speaker 1: ever screw over the hot never, no, never. If I died. 306 00:21:03,640 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 1: In two thousand two, acrolamide, a chemical that had been 307 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:13,320 Speaker 1: labeled as a carcinogenic in California since was detected in 308 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:16,960 Speaker 1: tater tots among other foods. Or Right eventually reached a 309 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:20,080 Speaker 1: six hundred thousand dollars settlement and agreed to at least 310 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:23,520 Speaker 1: have the presence of acral lamide in their products. And 311 00:21:23,760 --> 00:21:26,600 Speaker 1: this isn't like an additive that they were putting in 312 00:21:26,800 --> 00:21:29,760 Speaker 1: UM acri lamide is is a compound that can form 313 00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:34,119 Speaker 1: in starchy foods when they're heated UM to above a 314 00:21:34,160 --> 00:21:37,280 Speaker 1: hundred and twenty degrees celsius or that's that's like two 315 00:21:37,359 --> 00:21:42,160 Speaker 1: forty eight fahrenheit UM. And that's because at those temperatures, 316 00:21:42,240 --> 00:21:46,480 Speaker 1: some of the sugars that starchy foods contain will react 317 00:21:46,720 --> 00:21:50,160 Speaker 1: with this one amino acid called a sparagene and then 318 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: form the compound um acro lamide. So totally natural process um. 319 00:21:55,960 --> 00:22:00,199 Speaker 1: But yeah, acro lamide is recognized by the FDA as 320 00:22:00,200 --> 00:22:03,800 Speaker 1: a potential carcinogen in humans. There have been some animal 321 00:22:03,840 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: studies where it was proven to be carcinogenic at certain 322 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:11,960 Speaker 1: levels which are probably way higher. I mean even for 323 00:22:12,040 --> 00:22:18,679 Speaker 1: the for the most devout tater, taught devotee amongst us, um, 324 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: it would probably be a lot of fried food. But anyway, UM. Yeah, 325 00:22:23,720 --> 00:22:26,080 Speaker 1: there are things that you can do to reduce the 326 00:22:26,119 --> 00:22:30,679 Speaker 1: amount um of aquilamide that forms, UM, like reducing the 327 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:35,040 Speaker 1: starch content in your potatoes using shorter cooking times, cooking 328 00:22:35,400 --> 00:22:39,320 Speaker 1: your tato is less crispy. Um. But yeah, also I 329 00:22:39,320 --> 00:22:43,840 Speaker 1: think it's really basically like moderation is the important one there. Um. 330 00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:49,199 Speaker 1: So you know. Yes, Um, tater tots were featured in 331 00:22:49,240 --> 00:22:52,720 Speaker 1: the two thousand four moving Napoleon Dynamite, prompting the State 332 00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,919 Speaker 1: of Idaho toor release a statement commending the film for 333 00:22:56,040 --> 00:22:59,880 Speaker 1: quote promoting Idaho's most famous export in two thousand five. 334 00:23:02,800 --> 00:23:06,320 Speaker 1: That is the weirdest, most delightful thing that I've heard 335 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:13,400 Speaker 1: about Napoleon Dynamite in my entire life. That's I wasn't 336 00:23:13,400 --> 00:23:18,760 Speaker 1: expecting that, expecting that the research we are in two 337 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:23,920 Speaker 1: thousand eleven, Um, when physicist and food scientists Nathan Merveld, 338 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:26,320 Speaker 1: I think that's how you say it. Um. He released 339 00:23:26,359 --> 00:23:30,800 Speaker 1: his six volume cookbook Modernist Cuisine, The Art and Science 340 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:35,400 Speaker 1: of Cooking, which includes a recipe for these very technologically 341 00:23:35,440 --> 00:23:39,920 Speaker 1: advanced potater tots. Um. You su vied the potatoes. Um, 342 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,439 Speaker 1: So you you cook them real slowly in like a 343 00:23:42,600 --> 00:23:45,240 Speaker 1: like a water bath sealed in a bag. They're not 344 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:50,199 Speaker 1: touching the water. Then use an ultrasonic cleaning bath loaded 345 00:23:50,280 --> 00:23:54,840 Speaker 1: up with some starch to create micro cavities in the 346 00:23:54,880 --> 00:24:00,280 Speaker 1: potato surfaces for the starch to seep into. So when 347 00:24:00,320 --> 00:24:03,359 Speaker 1: you fry them up, they're like super tender on the 348 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,360 Speaker 1: inside from that low and slow cooking process and then 349 00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:14,120 Speaker 1: super crunchy on the outside from those micro cavities with starch. Wow, 350 00:24:15,240 --> 00:24:22,240 Speaker 1: fancy modern tater tots. You know. Yeah, in the potato lobby, 351 00:24:22,320 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 1: which is apparently a very powerful force here in the 352 00:24:25,680 --> 00:24:30,160 Speaker 1: United States, Um, they convinced Congress amid um the creation 353 00:24:30,359 --> 00:24:34,960 Speaker 1: of new FDA regulations about getting healthier foods into school 354 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:38,679 Speaker 1: lunch menus like public school lunch menus. Um, the potato 355 00:24:38,720 --> 00:24:43,959 Speaker 1: lobby convinced Congress that potatoes and tater tots needed to stay, 356 00:24:44,320 --> 00:24:51,199 Speaker 1: could not, could not be regulated. You never put potatoes 357 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:55,920 Speaker 1: in a corner. Guess, no tator tots, No tator tots 358 00:24:55,920 --> 00:25:02,840 Speaker 1: in the corner. No u um or at. A campaign 359 00:25:03,080 --> 00:25:05,800 Speaker 1: looking to remind people that um, tater Tot is a 360 00:25:05,840 --> 00:25:09,480 Speaker 1: trademark name that belongs to them, came with the tagline, 361 00:25:09,960 --> 00:25:19,240 Speaker 1: don't be fooled by immitators taters see get it? Yeah taters, Yeah, 362 00:25:19,640 --> 00:25:23,160 Speaker 1: Lauren does not see even pressed with this campaign. Uh. 363 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:27,800 Speaker 1: The campaign continued that they were the quote original and 364 00:25:28,040 --> 00:25:34,200 Speaker 1: only in Hines merged with Craft Foods, with tater Tots 365 00:25:34,240 --> 00:25:39,480 Speaker 1: remaining one of their most successful products. Um and yeah, 366 00:25:39,480 --> 00:25:43,080 Speaker 1: we do continue to see tater tot innovation and experimentation, 367 00:25:43,480 --> 00:25:47,200 Speaker 1: whether it is tattos, which is often credited to Portland's 368 00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:51,360 Speaker 1: journalist Jim Parker, who said of this invention in they 369 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:54,360 Speaker 1: said that sounds like stone or food. They were humoring 370 00:25:54,400 --> 00:25:56,000 Speaker 1: me to put them on the menu, but it ended 371 00:25:56,080 --> 00:26:00,960 Speaker 1: up being one of our most ordered items. Or um, 372 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 1: tater tots in poutine or poutin. I'm pretty sure it's poutin, 373 00:26:04,680 --> 00:26:08,760 Speaker 1: but we say it poutine here um or dater dot 374 00:26:08,760 --> 00:26:11,360 Speaker 1: waffles or as a lot ka hak, which I saw 375 00:26:11,400 --> 00:26:14,320 Speaker 1: a lot of using tater tots as a lot kah hak. 376 00:26:15,160 --> 00:26:19,360 Speaker 1: Entire restaurants are dedicated to tater dot creations. While some 377 00:26:19,480 --> 00:26:22,200 Speaker 1: chefs do spend the time to make their own the 378 00:26:22,280 --> 00:26:25,080 Speaker 1: process that can take up to twelve hours without the machinery, 379 00:26:25,480 --> 00:26:29,280 Speaker 1: others stick to frozen. In the words of chef Dale Talda, 380 00:26:29,880 --> 00:26:32,960 Speaker 1: I hope I'm not mispronouncing that who founded restaurant Talda 381 00:26:33,119 --> 00:26:37,080 Speaker 1: in South Brooklyn quote making them. I always buy them frozen. 382 00:26:37,320 --> 00:26:41,760 Speaker 1: There's no benefit from making them unless you are a sadist. 383 00:26:41,640 --> 00:26:51,480 Speaker 1: Say you know, I've never tried to make dater tots, 384 00:26:51,520 --> 00:26:55,800 Speaker 1: and I honestly have no real interesting Yeah, maybe I 385 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:59,200 Speaker 1: would be miserable. Yeah, yeah, I would be if I 386 00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:00,960 Speaker 1: if I needed them in my home that badly, I 387 00:27:01,000 --> 00:27:06,680 Speaker 1: would buy them frozen indeed. Um in the Kitchens, Kelly 388 00:27:06,800 --> 00:27:09,880 Speaker 1: Foster claimed that following the cooking instructions on the back 389 00:27:09,880 --> 00:27:13,240 Speaker 1: of the package of a frozen package of tater tots 390 00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:18,560 Speaker 1: was a grievous mistake. Um. The package recommends a baking 391 00:27:18,600 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 1: time of about five to thirty minutes. Foster advises something 392 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:25,199 Speaker 1: closer to an hour and was really key on, like 393 00:27:25,440 --> 00:27:27,600 Speaker 1: you need to look. It's like a feel and a 394 00:27:27,680 --> 00:27:31,280 Speaker 1: look of the tater tote you'll know it's ready. But 395 00:27:31,320 --> 00:27:34,359 Speaker 1: I'm at it our right, Wow, Okay, Yeah, it's a 396 00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: great article. Um, there's just something about that that really 397 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:41,399 Speaker 1: intrigues me that you can cook it almost twice the 398 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:45,240 Speaker 1: time and it would be better. Uh, And what calculation 399 00:27:45,359 --> 00:27:49,120 Speaker 1: was made? And I'm guessing convenience and like quick, it'll 400 00:27:49,119 --> 00:27:53,560 Speaker 1: be ready quickly, yeah, versus like the perfection of the 401 00:27:53,560 --> 00:27:57,560 Speaker 1: tater tot right. But Foster swore by it. She says 402 00:27:57,640 --> 00:28:03,959 Speaker 1: it's really improves the taste textures. Try that out if 403 00:28:04,000 --> 00:28:09,119 Speaker 1: you're interested listeners. That same year, Tater Totts played her 404 00:28:09,200 --> 00:28:14,120 Speaker 1: role in the film Venom. In an attempt to satisfy 405 00:28:14,240 --> 00:28:17,679 Speaker 1: the alien symbiote using his body, Eddie Brock eats an 406 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:22,480 Speaker 1: entire bag of frozen tater Tots. I again, I cannot 407 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:28,040 Speaker 1: believe I'm saying this in an episode. UM. Apparently there 408 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:30,320 Speaker 1: were more tater tots involved and they cut it out. 409 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:36,200 Speaker 1: So Tater Tot movie. I have not seen that film. UM. 410 00:28:36,960 --> 00:28:40,880 Speaker 1: Nothing nothing against I mean, I like I like Venom, 411 00:28:40,880 --> 00:28:45,400 Speaker 1: I like Eddie Brock, good characters all around. It has 412 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:49,240 Speaker 1: my favorite line where I because I not to turn 413 00:28:49,280 --> 00:28:53,480 Speaker 1: this into a movie review podcast, I went in knowing 414 00:28:53,520 --> 00:28:55,800 Speaker 1: and it had kind of been made fun of. It 415 00:28:55,920 --> 00:29:01,520 Speaker 1: wasn't very good bye standards that we've come u to. UM. 416 00:29:01,680 --> 00:29:05,840 Speaker 1: But I was watching it and even knowing that there's 417 00:29:05,880 --> 00:29:11,080 Speaker 1: a line where Venom says, sorry, but you're a bit 418 00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:17,960 Speaker 1: of a loser Eddie, and Eddie's well, I'm a loser too, 419 00:29:18,200 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 1: or something like that, and I died laughing. I died, 420 00:29:23,200 --> 00:29:26,040 Speaker 1: And ever since then, I've been trying to make a 421 00:29:26,080 --> 00:29:31,320 Speaker 1: Loser the Beck song parody with Venom, UM and I 422 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:35,640 Speaker 1: have the lyrics written out, but I need a green 423 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:46,320 Speaker 1: screen and Venom outfit. I guess anyway, theater doughts. I 424 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 1: could add tator Dots in there also. I know I'm 425 00:29:50,040 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: not getting the line completely accurately. It's been a while 426 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:56,040 Speaker 1: since I've seen venom, but the heart of it is there. 427 00:29:56,160 --> 00:30:00,240 Speaker 1: That's it. That's why they decided to stick to together 428 00:30:00,240 --> 00:30:04,440 Speaker 1: because they're both losing. They're both losers, okay, and because 429 00:30:04,480 --> 00:30:11,880 Speaker 1: of Tater Tots. Yes, very key in their relationship anyway. 430 00:30:12,040 --> 00:30:14,280 Speaker 1: I think that's what we have to say about Tater 431 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:18,240 Speaker 1: Tots right now. It is um. We do have some 432 00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:21,320 Speaker 1: listener mail for you. We do, but first we have 433 00:30:21,360 --> 00:30:31,880 Speaker 1: one more quick break for word from our sponsors, and 434 00:30:31,920 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: we're back. Thank you sponsored, Yes, thank you. We're back. 435 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:47,320 Speaker 1: With this venom impression, I didn't know how to communicate it, 436 00:30:47,320 --> 00:30:49,080 Speaker 1: so I had to go overboard. Yeah. I can do 437 00:30:49,120 --> 00:30:53,080 Speaker 1: a better venom impression. Oh okay, Yeah, maybe one day 438 00:30:53,480 --> 00:31:01,880 Speaker 1: share it? Okay, Okay, something to look forward to. Like it? Oh, 439 00:31:02,160 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: definitely look forward to it. Look forward to it. Kobe 440 00:31:08,480 --> 00:31:11,040 Speaker 1: wrote in your recent episode about the NEGRONI I was 441 00:31:11,080 --> 00:31:13,040 Speaker 1: thrilled to hear you say that you were considering doing 442 00:31:13,040 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: an episode on Vermouth as the owner and vermouth maker 443 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,360 Speaker 1: of a small craft Vermouth company and fan of the podcast. 444 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 1: Since it was food stuff, I wanted to volunteer my expertise. 445 00:31:22,920 --> 00:31:24,960 Speaker 1: If you're interested, I'd be happy to talk with you. 446 00:31:25,360 --> 00:31:28,320 Speaker 1: I'd also like to invite you up to Brattleboro. Oh no, 447 00:31:28,400 --> 00:31:35,560 Speaker 1: I just butchered that Brattleborough. I'm sorry. Um and beautiful 448 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 1: southeastern Vermont. If traveling is COVID safe whenever it happens. 449 00:31:39,680 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: We have a wonderful food and beverage seen here. Many 450 00:31:42,400 --> 00:31:46,800 Speaker 1: local small farmers and restaurants, fantastic cheesemakers. I recommend Parish 451 00:31:46,840 --> 00:31:50,040 Speaker 1: Hill craft breweries, including the best sour beer this side 452 00:31:50,040 --> 00:31:54,200 Speaker 1: of Belgium, Hermit Thrush Brewery, Artisanal Baker's Jazz Baguettes and 453 00:31:54,200 --> 00:31:59,240 Speaker 1: Bread from the Earth, a Chocolate Tier, Tavnier, Tavnier Chocolates, 454 00:31:59,640 --> 00:32:03,960 Speaker 1: Well Paul Ologies again, a Lotto maker, Vermont Gelatto Company, 455 00:32:04,200 --> 00:32:09,640 Speaker 1: small craft distilleries, Saxton's, Metcals and more, and me Vermont 456 00:32:09,680 --> 00:32:15,480 Speaker 1: Vermouth of course. Oh it's so cool. Yeah, Oh that's great. 457 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,400 Speaker 1: I don't think I'm aware of anyone making Vermouth in 458 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:25,240 Speaker 1: our area, so I'm not either. Yeah, that'd be so cool, 459 00:32:25,320 --> 00:32:28,920 Speaker 1: and yeah, I love being able to shout out all 460 00:32:28,960 --> 00:32:31,360 Speaker 1: the cool things listeners are doing. And also, yeah, these 461 00:32:31,360 --> 00:32:35,040 Speaker 1: places that hopefully we can one day go that sounds amazing. Yeah, 462 00:32:35,160 --> 00:32:37,840 Speaker 1: oh absolutely, And I've got um, I've got family up 463 00:32:37,840 --> 00:32:40,920 Speaker 1: in New Hampshire, so um so I love I love 464 00:32:40,960 --> 00:32:45,400 Speaker 1: that whole area. It's really gorgeous. Um and uh oh yeah, 465 00:32:45,440 --> 00:32:49,560 Speaker 1: so many good so many good things. Um Bailey wrote, 466 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:51,600 Speaker 1: I have a deep love of D and D and 467 00:32:51,600 --> 00:32:53,880 Speaker 1: it's great every time you mentioned something from your game. 468 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,520 Speaker 1: I hope one day you do a fictional foods episode 469 00:32:56,520 --> 00:32:58,960 Speaker 1: for D and D. Food you can talk about spells 470 00:32:59,000 --> 00:33:01,760 Speaker 1: like heroes, feast um and the actual D and D 471 00:33:01,920 --> 00:33:05,000 Speaker 1: cookbook of the same name, or create food and water, 472 00:33:05,680 --> 00:33:07,880 Speaker 1: the fact that there are tears in the food and 473 00:33:07,920 --> 00:33:11,120 Speaker 1: lodging table in the PHB depending on the lifestyle you 474 00:33:11,120 --> 00:33:15,120 Speaker 1: want to lead. And everyone's favorite magic item, the alchemy 475 00:33:15,200 --> 00:33:21,680 Speaker 1: jug the alchemy job. There's a good one. I love. 476 00:33:22,000 --> 00:33:25,320 Speaker 1: I love that listeners seem to be into R D 477 00:33:25,440 --> 00:33:30,440 Speaker 1: and D discussions. Yes, um yeah, I think this would 478 00:33:30,440 --> 00:33:32,080 Speaker 1: be a really fun episode to do, and we've we've 479 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:34,520 Speaker 1: talked about doing it because the kind of mechanics behind 480 00:33:34,560 --> 00:33:37,560 Speaker 1: a lot of that is really interesting. Um. And I 481 00:33:37,640 --> 00:33:40,920 Speaker 1: know Lauren and I have been in campaigns where we've 482 00:33:40,920 --> 00:33:45,760 Speaker 1: gotten into deep discussions and not arguments, but like how 483 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:49,280 Speaker 1: does the alchemy jug work and almost getting to the 484 00:33:49,360 --> 00:33:53,120 Speaker 1: science of it, which is ridiculous, trying to get the 485 00:33:53,240 --> 00:33:58,880 Speaker 1: rules correct. Yeah yeah yeah. And then this the graph, 486 00:33:58,960 --> 00:34:02,280 Speaker 1: the chart in the PHB, the Player's Handbook, in this 487 00:34:02,400 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 1: letter is it's a really funny. I've never done this 488 00:34:05,840 --> 00:34:10,200 Speaker 1: because I feel like it's just too much um, but 489 00:34:10,600 --> 00:34:12,920 Speaker 1: it's this chart. It's like, are you living in squalor? 490 00:34:13,040 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 1: This is how much it costs for you to live 491 00:34:14,600 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: a day and what food you can afford and what 492 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:21,000 Speaker 1: drinks you can afford versus luxury. Um. I will say 493 00:34:21,000 --> 00:34:24,239 Speaker 1: in our current campaign there has been several There was 494 00:34:24,360 --> 00:34:26,279 Speaker 1: a kind of a food quest and then there was 495 00:34:26,320 --> 00:34:33,279 Speaker 1: definitely an alcohol that was introduced as sort of a 496 00:34:33,320 --> 00:34:37,480 Speaker 1: slip knot band cover alcohol time, and that now shows 497 00:34:37,560 --> 00:34:41,360 Speaker 1: up randomly at bars that I love. I know. That's 498 00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:44,520 Speaker 1: that's phrase of words, a string of words that probably 499 00:34:44,560 --> 00:34:49,680 Speaker 1: makes no sense, but trust me, it definitely makes sense 500 00:34:49,719 --> 00:34:54,560 Speaker 1: in context, which is even stranger. Um. Yeah yeah, and 501 00:34:54,600 --> 00:34:56,759 Speaker 1: you had um in our in our last game that 502 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 1: you were d m ng annie you um you you 503 00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:03,640 Speaker 1: had this this like type of yeah, like type of 504 00:35:03,640 --> 00:35:08,399 Speaker 1: alcoholic beverage um or magical beverage of some kind that 505 00:35:09,080 --> 00:35:13,560 Speaker 1: had some very serious chaotic consequences um attached to it 506 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:16,760 Speaker 1: that we essentially just lucked out, that we didn't perm 507 00:35:16,800 --> 00:35:22,839 Speaker 1: the entire party by buying around. Um. Yes, I was like, 508 00:35:22,920 --> 00:35:24,799 Speaker 1: you know, I have to let them do what they're 509 00:35:24,800 --> 00:35:28,560 Speaker 1: gonna do. But whoa, this is a real roll of 510 00:35:28,560 --> 00:35:35,880 Speaker 1: the dice, like a real real but it worked out. Yeah, yeah, 511 00:35:36,000 --> 00:35:42,640 Speaker 1: that was hoof hoof the Yeah, it was pretty cool anyway, 512 00:35:43,680 --> 00:35:48,280 Speaker 1: would be super into talking about that. I love two 513 00:35:48,560 --> 00:35:52,279 Speaker 1: recommendations future episodes in the meantime. Thanks that both of 514 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:53,799 Speaker 1: those listeners for writing to us. If you would like 515 00:35:53,800 --> 00:35:55,560 Speaker 1: to write to us that you can or email us 516 00:35:55,560 --> 00:35:58,480 Speaker 1: hello at saber pod dot com. We're also on social media. 517 00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:01,520 Speaker 1: You can find us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at 518 00:36:01,680 --> 00:36:03,560 Speaker 1: savor pod and we do hope to hear from you. 519 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:06,640 Speaker 1: Savor is production of I Heart Radio. For more podcasts 520 00:36:06,640 --> 00:36:08,520 Speaker 1: from my Heart Radio, you can visit the I Heart 521 00:36:08,560 --> 00:36:11,440 Speaker 1: Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your 522 00:36:11,440 --> 00:36:15,000 Speaker 1: favorite shows. Thanks as always to our superproducers Villain Fagan 523 00:36:15,080 --> 00:36:17,239 Speaker 1: and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening and we 524 00:36:17,280 --> 00:36:26,760 Speaker 1: hope that lots more good things are coming your way.