1 00:00:09,360 --> 00:00:11,560 Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Saber Protection of iHeartRadio. 2 00:00:11,600 --> 00:00:14,120 Speaker 2: I'm Anny Rees and I'm Lauren Vogelbaum, and today we 3 00:00:14,160 --> 00:00:19,000 Speaker 2: have an episode for you about Hostess Cupcakes. Yes, not 4 00:00:19,079 --> 00:00:25,720 Speaker 2: a sponsor, nope nah. Also the cupcakes specifically, they have 5 00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:26,920 Speaker 2: other snack cakes. 6 00:00:27,760 --> 00:00:31,800 Speaker 1: That's not a topic for today, No, And we were 7 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 1: just discussing the company itself is not a topic for today. Yeah. 8 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're glancing across it a few times. But that's 9 00:00:40,479 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 2: a large and complicated and fascinating in a dry way 10 00:00:45,280 --> 00:00:46,520 Speaker 2: kind of situation. 11 00:00:47,960 --> 00:00:52,159 Speaker 1: Yes, perhaps we'll return to it in the future, but 12 00:00:52,280 --> 00:00:53,199 Speaker 1: not today. 13 00:00:53,520 --> 00:00:53,800 Speaker 2: Yeah. 14 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: No. Was there any particular reason this was on your mind? Lauren? 15 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:01,800 Speaker 2: Uh? I really should be better prepared for this. 16 00:01:02,080 --> 00:01:02,400 Speaker 1: Uh. 17 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:06,560 Speaker 2: Yeah, No, I think I was thinking that we hadn't 18 00:01:06,720 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 2: done like a really brand heavy episode in a minute, 19 00:01:12,480 --> 00:01:18,280 Speaker 2: and these are so weird but so nostalgic, and it 20 00:01:18,360 --> 00:01:22,320 Speaker 2: seemed like a good story. So yeah. A lot of 21 00:01:22,319 --> 00:01:25,639 Speaker 2: my selection process comes down to, well, I was twenty 22 00:01:25,720 --> 00:01:31,640 Speaker 2: nine Wikipedia pages deep and then I read some kind 23 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,920 Speaker 2: of fact that I found personally interesting for some reason. 24 00:01:37,000 --> 00:01:43,520 Speaker 1: That's as good a reason as any. Yeah, yeah, yeah, 25 00:01:43,600 --> 00:01:47,440 Speaker 1: I have to say I don't have a lot of 26 00:01:47,480 --> 00:01:53,960 Speaker 1: experience with Hostess in general, and especially not Hostess cupcakes. Okay, 27 00:01:54,560 --> 00:01:58,480 Speaker 1: but when I was reading about it, I do remember 28 00:01:58,560 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: certain instances in elementary school with the sack lunch and 29 00:02:04,520 --> 00:02:07,960 Speaker 1: it would come with one oh yeah, And even though 30 00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:11,440 Speaker 1: it wasn't like the most amazing thing, there was something 31 00:02:11,480 --> 00:02:14,440 Speaker 1: about biding into it that I remember being like, this 32 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: is special. This feels special to me. 33 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:20,160 Speaker 2: Yeah. Yeah, as a as a school lunch thing. It 34 00:02:20,240 --> 00:02:23,240 Speaker 2: was the kind of product that my dad never would 35 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,919 Speaker 2: have allowed in our household. And so whenever I got 36 00:02:26,919 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 2: ahold of something like this, I might not have liked it, 37 00:02:31,080 --> 00:02:34,079 Speaker 2: but I enjoyed it because of like the slight thrill 38 00:02:34,680 --> 00:02:40,920 Speaker 2: of knowing that I was bucking the system. Yeah, my 39 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: own little snack cake rage against the machine. Yeah yeah, 40 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:49,080 Speaker 2: because it was always in the schools packed lunch. 41 00:02:49,120 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 1: I got ever in my home. No, but it just 42 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:56,480 Speaker 1: there was something about it. I was like, Okay, yeah, 43 00:02:56,560 --> 00:03:01,280 Speaker 1: I can't get this at home. So people do have 44 00:03:01,320 --> 00:03:04,560 Speaker 1: a lot of nostalgia for it. I will say, doing 45 00:03:04,600 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 1: the research for this episode, if I was to personify 46 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:16,800 Speaker 1: the Hostess cupcake, I think that a cupcake would feel 47 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 1: bad that they were constantly compared to the Twinkie. 48 00:03:21,600 --> 00:03:23,320 Speaker 2: Yeah, it seems sort of unfair, right. 49 00:03:23,680 --> 00:03:27,800 Speaker 1: The success of the Twinkie. Always it was like before 50 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:30,040 Speaker 1: the Twinkie, there was something. 51 00:03:29,720 --> 00:03:33,079 Speaker 2: Else, there was a different thing. But who cares about that. 52 00:03:32,960 --> 00:03:36,680 Speaker 1: Right, right? So that being said, you can't see our 53 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: twinky episode. Also are episodes about cupcakes. 54 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:50,360 Speaker 2: In general and muffins relatedly, and like other snacks and brands. Probably, sure, yes. 55 00:03:51,400 --> 00:03:54,040 Speaker 1: But I guess this brings us to our question. I 56 00:03:54,040 --> 00:03:57,680 Speaker 1: guess it does Hostess Cupcakes. 57 00:04:01,360 --> 00:04:07,240 Speaker 2: Well. Hostess Cupcakes are a brand of sweet packaged snacks 58 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:11,400 Speaker 2: and or treats in the form of these small, shelf 59 00:04:11,440 --> 00:04:17,440 Speaker 2: stable cream filled, icing topped cakes in the cup shape. 60 00:04:17,640 --> 00:04:20,440 Speaker 2: You know, it's like slightly narrower on the bottom based 61 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:24,000 Speaker 2: on the pan that they're made in, Like the profile 62 00:04:24,120 --> 00:04:27,839 Speaker 2: is a trapezoid if you take a cross section. Yeah, 63 00:04:27,920 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 2: the standard flavor is chocolate cake with this lightlyad vanilla 64 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,360 Speaker 2: flavored filling and then a layer of chocolate flavored icing 65 00:04:36,400 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: on top. And because that icing is you know, dark 66 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:44,159 Speaker 2: brown in color, a contrasting squiggle of white vanilla icing 67 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,359 Speaker 2: across the straight across the diameter of the cake. Yeah, 68 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:51,440 Speaker 2: in this pattern that is formed in a chain of 69 00:04:51,640 --> 00:04:55,840 Speaker 2: seven full loops per cake. No more, no less, no more, 70 00:04:55,960 --> 00:05:02,200 Speaker 2: no less, seven loops those. This cupcake does come in 71 00:05:02,240 --> 00:05:05,640 Speaker 2: other flavors and colors and in this mini size. More 72 00:05:05,680 --> 00:05:09,320 Speaker 2: on those later. But the whole experience of this cupcake 73 00:05:09,400 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 2: is kind of just nice. Like the cake is tender 74 00:05:12,160 --> 00:05:15,440 Speaker 2: and moist, and the filling is real fluffy. The icing 75 00:05:15,600 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 2: is semi firm, like sort of toothsome, like a little 76 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,039 Speaker 2: bit fudgy, but still smooth and kind of melty in 77 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:26,440 Speaker 2: your mouth. Yeah. They are individually wrapped in plastic and 78 00:05:26,480 --> 00:05:31,240 Speaker 2: sold in boxes of eight to fourteen cakes, or sometimes 79 00:05:31,440 --> 00:05:34,039 Speaker 2: wrapped in a single serving tupac with like a little 80 00:05:34,040 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 2: paperboard tray. Those are found at like convenience stores and 81 00:05:37,480 --> 00:05:45,760 Speaker 2: checkout lines stuff like that. They are very sweet and straightforward, 82 00:05:46,080 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 2: you know, like a little bit oily perhaps, but just 83 00:05:49,680 --> 00:06:00,480 Speaker 2: nostalgically chocolatey and creamy and shelf stably. It's like it's 84 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:03,120 Speaker 2: like if your mama were a robot, but she loved 85 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,160 Speaker 2: you so much. You know, It's like the sensation of 86 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:19,600 Speaker 2: an assembly line's love. Oh yeah, yeah, thanks robot mom. 87 00:06:20,720 --> 00:06:23,480 Speaker 2: Hostess Brands does also own a bunch of other snack 88 00:06:23,520 --> 00:06:28,400 Speaker 2: cakes like Twinkies, Ding dongs, hohes, snowballs, and honey buns, 89 00:06:28,520 --> 00:06:34,600 Speaker 2: among others, and some sandwich breads and buns. But yeah, 90 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: the classic cupcakes weigh forty five grams apiece. That's a 91 00:06:39,560 --> 00:06:43,239 Speaker 2: little over one point five ounces. They're about three inches 92 00:06:43,279 --> 00:06:47,000 Speaker 2: across and two inches tall something like that. That icing 93 00:06:47,040 --> 00:06:51,600 Speaker 2: loop design is a registered trademark. It is registered as 94 00:06:51,920 --> 00:06:53,320 Speaker 2: the original squiggle. 95 00:06:55,400 --> 00:06:58,960 Speaker 1: I don't think I will ever say squiggle as much 96 00:06:58,960 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 1: as I'm consciously in this episode. 97 00:07:02,480 --> 00:07:04,599 Speaker 2: I wrote it a disturbing number of time. 98 00:07:05,240 --> 00:07:07,359 Speaker 1: Yes, it's very important. 99 00:07:07,640 --> 00:07:10,640 Speaker 2: I started thinking, is there is Should I get out 100 00:07:10,680 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 2: at the saurus? Is there a different word I can 101 00:07:12,760 --> 00:07:19,520 Speaker 2: be using? Is this squiggle overkill? Yeah? 102 00:07:19,800 --> 00:07:20,800 Speaker 1: Here we are. 103 00:07:20,840 --> 00:07:27,679 Speaker 2: Choices, choices. Speaking of choices, In addition to the classic flavor, 104 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:32,120 Speaker 2: the brand has and it's like regular lineup of snack cakes, 105 00:07:32,160 --> 00:07:36,680 Speaker 2: an option that is a golden cake like vanilla flavored 106 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:40,360 Speaker 2: cake instead of chocolate. It does have like the standard 107 00:07:40,440 --> 00:07:44,520 Speaker 2: chocolate icing and creamy filling. They've also got orange cakes 108 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:48,760 Speaker 2: with orange frosting and creamy filling, pink strawberry cakes with 109 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:53,680 Speaker 2: strawberry frosting and creamy filling, and birthday cupcakes which have 110 00:07:53,800 --> 00:07:57,760 Speaker 2: like colored specks in vanilla cake than vanilla frosting with 111 00:07:57,840 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 2: sprinkles and creamy filling, and also sugar cookie flavored cupcakes. 112 00:08:04,120 --> 00:08:06,560 Speaker 2: And these are themed after those you know, those those 113 00:08:06,640 --> 00:08:11,120 Speaker 2: puffy grocery store cookies that are kind of cakey. Yeah, 114 00:08:11,320 --> 00:08:14,760 Speaker 2: it's like a vanilla cake with pink frosting with sprinkles 115 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:18,120 Speaker 2: and creamy filling. And all of the above do have 116 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:23,680 Speaker 2: the standard white seven loop squiggle. They do also have 117 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 2: those cupcake minis that I mentioned above, which are the 118 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:30,400 Speaker 2: classic flavor, but they're in a more cylindrical shape and 119 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,520 Speaker 2: each are approximately forty three percent the size of a 120 00:08:34,559 --> 00:08:38,520 Speaker 2: standard host is cupcake by weight. I did the math 121 00:08:38,600 --> 00:08:44,000 Speaker 2: on that. Yes, yeah, they come in They come in 122 00:08:44,040 --> 00:08:50,760 Speaker 2: packs of two to three minis apiece. There are also 123 00:08:51,040 --> 00:08:54,440 Speaker 2: seasonal limited addition cupcakes these days. 124 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:56,160 Speaker 1: As of this. 125 00:08:56,160 --> 00:09:00,440 Speaker 2: Recording, in August of twenty twenty five, the summer line 126 00:09:00,520 --> 00:09:04,040 Speaker 2: is available. The fall line is rolling out. Summer twenty 127 00:09:04,120 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 2: twenty five includes the More's Cupcake, which are Grand flavored 128 00:09:07,320 --> 00:09:11,160 Speaker 2: cake with toasted marshmallow filling and the typical chocolate icing 129 00:09:11,200 --> 00:09:15,080 Speaker 2: and white squiggle. There are two flavors of baseball themed cupcakes, 130 00:09:15,800 --> 00:09:18,520 Speaker 2: a yellow cake for day games, and a chocolate cake 131 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:23,160 Speaker 2: for night games, each with a pale frosting decorated with 132 00:09:23,240 --> 00:09:25,800 Speaker 2: two red squiggle lines that are kind of curved so 133 00:09:25,840 --> 00:09:31,040 Speaker 2: it looks like a baseball stitching. Yeah. Yeah, nervous for 134 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,719 Speaker 2: some is because of the day versus night games, and 135 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:37,400 Speaker 2: you're thinking about vampires now. 136 00:09:37,640 --> 00:09:43,240 Speaker 1: I think, so something a little on edge. 137 00:09:44,679 --> 00:09:50,280 Speaker 2: Well, don't calm down yet, because they also have patriotic cupcakes, 138 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 2: which are yellow cake with blue frosting, the white squiggle 139 00:09:54,520 --> 00:09:58,680 Speaker 2: and red sprinkles, which I find vaguely threatening, I think, 140 00:09:58,760 --> 00:10:01,960 Speaker 2: just because of everything that's going on right now. But anyway, 141 00:10:02,360 --> 00:10:05,959 Speaker 2: Fall twenty twenty five so far includes an iced Pumpkin Flavor, 142 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:12,280 Speaker 2: which are artificially flavored pumpkin flavor cupcakes that's like a 143 00:10:12,320 --> 00:10:16,920 Speaker 2: pumpkiny orange cake, cream colored frosting, and an orange squiggle. 144 00:10:17,640 --> 00:10:21,480 Speaker 2: The filling on all of these is the traditional creamy filling, 145 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:27,000 Speaker 2: which is just sort of vaguely vanilla flavored. Yeah. Also, 146 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:29,360 Speaker 2: the thing that disturbed me most about all of this 147 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:31,200 Speaker 2: is that, like I don't know if it's like a 148 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,200 Speaker 2: fluke in the illustration or what, but the pumpkin, the 149 00:10:35,400 --> 00:10:39,719 Speaker 2: iced pumpkin cakes appear to have eight loops in their 150 00:10:39,760 --> 00:10:45,199 Speaker 2: squiggles and listeners. I gasped. I gasped, and I zoomed 151 00:10:45,240 --> 00:10:48,440 Speaker 2: in and I counted, and I believe I clutched my pearls. 152 00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:51,000 Speaker 1: I'm not even. 153 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:54,400 Speaker 2: Joking, Like, this is the physical after reading so much 154 00:10:54,400 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 2: about the squiggle, that is the physical reaction that I 155 00:10:57,000 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 2: went through. 156 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:02,720 Speaker 1: You've got to get out the conspiracy board. You have 157 00:11:02,840 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 1: red yarn? 158 00:11:05,520 --> 00:11:07,520 Speaker 2: Can I form the red yarn into a squiggle? 159 00:11:09,240 --> 00:11:11,199 Speaker 1: We need to get to the bottom of this. 160 00:11:11,480 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 2: Oh oh man, I felt like I was glimpsing into 161 00:11:15,720 --> 00:11:24,200 Speaker 2: another dimension. Truly. At any rate, there is like like 162 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 2: there's a wild amount of proprietary technology that goes into 163 00:11:29,000 --> 00:11:32,559 Speaker 2: the manufacture of these things, and so like some things 164 00:11:32,679 --> 00:11:35,160 Speaker 2: I read about and some things I wasn't really able 165 00:11:35,200 --> 00:11:39,040 Speaker 2: to get to the bottom of. But from what I understand, 166 00:11:40,320 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 2: there's like at least five different companies that provide like baking, packaging, 167 00:11:45,720 --> 00:11:52,360 Speaker 2: robotics for all of this. Okay, So the essential process 168 00:11:52,600 --> 00:11:56,200 Speaker 2: is that the batter is mixed and then feeds from 169 00:11:56,280 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 2: holding tanks through depositors into cake pans, which then travel 170 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,160 Speaker 2: through these tunnel ovens to bake. The cakes are then 171 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:11,080 Speaker 2: deposited onto a conveyor belt, shuffled into an optimum cooling 172 00:12:12,280 --> 00:12:17,720 Speaker 2: configuration and then cooled in a tempering tunnel. Afterwards, they 173 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,679 Speaker 2: are injected with the filling. After that, the icing is 174 00:12:21,720 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 2: deposited on top of the cakes in a continuous band, 175 00:12:26,040 --> 00:12:30,559 Speaker 2: which is then broken apart by an elevated transfer point, 176 00:12:31,360 --> 00:12:34,520 Speaker 2: after which the cakes are cooled again before the squiggle 177 00:12:34,559 --> 00:12:35,160 Speaker 2: is applied. 178 00:12:36,920 --> 00:12:38,920 Speaker 1: That does sound like some serious business. 179 00:12:39,360 --> 00:12:40,920 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, oh yeah. 180 00:12:42,240 --> 00:12:48,000 Speaker 1: Okay, okay, Well what about the nutrition? 181 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:53,040 Speaker 2: These are definitely a treat treat her nice, treats her nice. 182 00:12:53,920 --> 00:12:58,720 Speaker 2: There's not a lot of nutritionally nutritionally redeeming qualities about 183 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:03,120 Speaker 2: these guys. And I want to say to younger Lauren, 184 00:13:04,720 --> 00:13:06,920 Speaker 2: and all y'all happen to be listening, but I want 185 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:11,760 Speaker 2: to say to younger Lauren, please involve some protein in 186 00:13:11,800 --> 00:13:17,920 Speaker 2: your snacks so that you're less of a horrible person. 187 00:13:20,520 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 2: And if anyone else listening gains anything from that message, 188 00:13:24,320 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 2: then bless. 189 00:13:32,240 --> 00:13:35,000 Speaker 1: This feels like you're trying to send a message back 190 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:36,040 Speaker 1: to yourself, right. 191 00:13:36,760 --> 00:13:43,000 Speaker 2: Oh man, If only if only young hypoglycemic Lauren could 192 00:13:43,080 --> 00:13:46,480 Speaker 2: receive that message and put down the fruit snacks and 193 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:47,719 Speaker 2: maybe get some trail. 194 00:13:47,520 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 1: Mix alas well, maybe someone will benefit from your your please. 195 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 1: Oh well, we do have some numbers for you. 196 00:14:04,160 --> 00:14:09,760 Speaker 2: We do. Okay. So apparently Hostess Cupcake Day is May eleventh, 197 00:14:10,760 --> 00:14:14,000 Speaker 2: commemorating what was possibly the first day that the product 198 00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:21,040 Speaker 2: was sold. Yes, yep, I love this next one. Okay, 199 00:14:21,520 --> 00:14:25,840 Speaker 2: I understand that in nineteen ninety seven, this art history 200 00:14:25,880 --> 00:14:31,200 Speaker 2: professor at the University of Pittsburgh constructed a pop art 201 00:14:31,320 --> 00:14:37,800 Speaker 2: pyramid of Hostess cupcakes with a snowball veneer that was 202 00:14:37,880 --> 00:14:43,640 Speaker 2: made up of forty five thousand, six hundred cupcakes which 203 00:14:43,680 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 2: were donated by Hostess. I didn't that this was the 204 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:52,160 Speaker 2: plan anyway, I read about the plan. I did not 205 00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:58,840 Speaker 2: read about any follow up, but like the plan was 206 00:14:58,880 --> 00:15:04,080 Speaker 2: reported on after the professor had like contacted Hostess, proved 207 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 2: the structural integrity of the project, and then Hostess independently 208 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:13,560 Speaker 2: backed up his data with their own experimental structures. So 209 00:15:14,320 --> 00:15:16,600 Speaker 2: I feel good about the fact that this happened. 210 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 1: There should have been more reports. I was amazing. 211 00:15:23,120 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: You know, it was nineteen ninety seven, like there wasn't 212 00:15:25,880 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 2: as much internet coverage. Yeah, if anyone was there, oh 213 00:15:33,160 --> 00:15:34,480 Speaker 2: my heck uh. 214 00:15:35,760 --> 00:15:39,000 Speaker 1: That would be amazing. Yeah, if we heard from someone who. 215 00:15:39,000 --> 00:15:46,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, it sounds glorious, but okay. As of twenty sixteen, 216 00:15:47,440 --> 00:15:52,240 Speaker 2: the brand's bakery in Emporia, Kansas was capable of making 217 00:15:52,880 --> 00:15:57,800 Speaker 2: right around nine million cupcakes every week, like one point 218 00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:01,720 Speaker 2: four million cupcakes a day, twenty four hours a day, 219 00:16:02,280 --> 00:16:14,520 Speaker 2: six days a week, and apparently Hostess cupcakes are the 220 00:16:14,520 --> 00:16:18,880 Speaker 2: brand's top seller. Yes above, Twinkies like twinkies are better known, 221 00:16:19,120 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 2: but cupcakes are like the old standard. As of twenty nineteen, 222 00:16:23,480 --> 00:16:31,440 Speaker 2: Americans bought some six hundred million Hostess cupcakes every year. Also, 223 00:16:32,280 --> 00:16:39,480 Speaker 2: when JM. Smucker Company bought Hostess Brands in twenty twenty three, 224 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:43,920 Speaker 2: it was the largest ever cake and bread brand acquisition 225 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:49,320 Speaker 2: in the United States by a margin of billions of dollars. 226 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:51,560 Speaker 1: Yeah. 227 00:16:51,720 --> 00:16:55,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I don't have more specific numbers for you 228 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 2: here because I want to report them later in more context. 229 00:17:00,280 --> 00:17:02,440 Speaker 2: With the surrounding information. 230 00:17:04,440 --> 00:17:10,399 Speaker 1: It's a pretty wild story. Yeah yeah, And we're going 231 00:17:10,480 --> 00:17:11,840 Speaker 1: to get We're going to get into it. 232 00:17:12,320 --> 00:17:14,960 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, oh yeah, but first we are going to 233 00:17:14,960 --> 00:17:24,240 Speaker 2: get into a quick break forward from our sponsors. 234 00:17:26,960 --> 00:17:27,480 Speaker 1: And we're back. 235 00:17:27,520 --> 00:17:29,080 Speaker 2: Thank you sponsor, Yes, thank you. 236 00:17:30,240 --> 00:17:36,359 Speaker 1: Okay. So in nineteen nineteen, Continental Baking which later would 237 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:40,600 Speaker 1: become known as Hostess, opened in Kansas City, Missouri, and 238 00:17:40,680 --> 00:17:43,920 Speaker 1: they wanted to create some sweet treats to sell alongside 239 00:17:43,920 --> 00:17:46,879 Speaker 1: their bread. The first of these treats was a plain 240 00:17:47,280 --> 00:17:51,400 Speaker 1: Devil's food cupcake, no cream filling or white icing on top. 241 00:17:52,040 --> 00:17:55,600 Speaker 1: It was produced by the Tigart Bakery and reportedly was 242 00:17:55,640 --> 00:18:00,520 Speaker 1: the first commercially sold cupcake in the United States time 243 00:18:00,880 --> 00:18:04,480 Speaker 1: A pack of two cost five cents. I'm pretty sure 244 00:18:04,520 --> 00:18:08,919 Speaker 1: it was a pack of two. But yet this Also, 245 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:12,000 Speaker 1: it was a very difficult episode to focus on the 246 00:18:12,040 --> 00:18:16,960 Speaker 1: topic because Hostess I went on a whole thing about 247 00:18:17,240 --> 00:18:20,200 Speaker 1: sliced bread and all of this. But it was a 248 00:18:20,240 --> 00:18:23,240 Speaker 1: big deal. It was a big deal. Yeah, Yeah, that's 249 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:26,080 Speaker 1: what I'll say. Also, this was a pretty big year 250 00:18:26,200 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 1: for the United States. The country was coming out of 251 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 1: World War One, women got the right to vote, Prohibition 252 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 1: was on the horizon, the flu pandemic was underway. With 253 00:18:36,760 --> 00:18:39,119 Speaker 1: the rationing of World War One lifted, and all of 254 00:18:39,160 --> 00:18:42,040 Speaker 1: these changes and stressors, it makes sense to me that 255 00:18:42,080 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: people latched onto this convenient sweet snack. 256 00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:48,399 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. 257 00:18:48,600 --> 00:18:52,080 Speaker 1: The cupcakes featured chocolate or vanilla frosting done by hand. 258 00:18:52,240 --> 00:18:55,520 Speaker 1: In the nineteen twenties. In the nineteen forties there were 259 00:18:55,560 --> 00:18:59,679 Speaker 1: some innovations like malted milk icing or orange cupcakes with 260 00:18:59,720 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 1: orange icing, and then in the nineteen fifties, Hostess and 261 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:11,280 Speaker 1: specifically someone named Dr Doc Rice, improved upon the cupcakes 262 00:19:11,280 --> 00:19:15,720 Speaker 1: by adding the same cream filling from Twinkies and the 263 00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:19,840 Speaker 1: squiggle of icing on top. Notably, he's not a doctor. 264 00:19:22,080 --> 00:19:24,400 Speaker 1: He always likes to joke about that it's not a doctor, 265 00:19:24,520 --> 00:19:28,200 Speaker 1: but that was his nickname. Rice started working at the 266 00:19:28,240 --> 00:19:31,600 Speaker 1: company as a cake dumper, someone who dumped the cakes 267 00:19:31,640 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 1: out onto a flat surface. Was baked at the age 268 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:38,399 Speaker 1: of seventeen and nineteen twenty three. His goal was to 269 00:19:38,440 --> 00:19:42,399 Speaker 1: go to business school. He was supervising five plants by 270 00:19:42,440 --> 00:19:45,840 Speaker 1: the age of twenty nine. After he came back from 271 00:19:45,880 --> 00:19:49,720 Speaker 1: World War Two, he started working at Continental Baking's experimental 272 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:53,920 Speaker 1: space in New York. Due to World War Two shortages, 273 00:19:54,160 --> 00:19:56,760 Speaker 1: the quality of the cupcakes had suffered greatly, so he 274 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,520 Speaker 1: was put in charge of reversing that whole thing. He 275 00:20:00,560 --> 00:20:04,439 Speaker 1: now had new dough consistencies and higher quality icings to 276 00:20:04,520 --> 00:20:07,520 Speaker 1: work with. The machine that was used to inject the 277 00:20:07,520 --> 00:20:11,679 Speaker 1: cream into the twinkies was improved upon, so according to him, 278 00:20:11,680 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 1: the attitude was why not fill the cupcakes too? Yeah, 279 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:20,080 Speaker 1: let's go ahead, let's go for it. They also ran 280 00:20:20,240 --> 00:20:23,560 Speaker 1: a white line of icing across the top at first, 281 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:28,440 Speaker 1: and these cupcakes were first introduced in Detroit, and they 282 00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:31,080 Speaker 1: were generally well liked, but the white line was deemed 283 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:36,679 Speaker 1: too boring, not I catching enough. After a few weeks, 284 00:20:36,880 --> 00:20:42,000 Speaker 1: Rice landed on a seven looped squiggle. According to Rice, 285 00:20:42,280 --> 00:20:45,560 Speaker 1: sales of the cupcakes increased by twenty five percent after that, 286 00:20:45,960 --> 00:20:50,399 Speaker 1: and the non filled, non squiggled cupcake was discontinued. The 287 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,679 Speaker 1: price of the cupcake also went up, since the addition 288 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:56,320 Speaker 1: of the cream and icing added onto the cost of 289 00:20:56,320 --> 00:20:59,959 Speaker 1: production makes sense. And yeah, the squiggle was meant to 290 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:04,960 Speaker 1: separate the Hostess cupcakes from the competitors and was and 291 00:21:05,200 --> 00:21:06,200 Speaker 1: is pretty iconic. 292 00:21:06,840 --> 00:21:11,960 Speaker 2: Oh yeah. Later in the nineteen seventies and eighties, Hostess 293 00:21:12,040 --> 00:21:16,600 Speaker 2: ads featured a couple of animated mascots, including Twinkie the Kid, 294 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:21,400 Speaker 2: which was like Wild West kind of themed Twinkie, and 295 00:21:21,720 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 2: Captain Cupcake. Captain Cupcake was this anthropomorphic cupcake like a 296 00:21:26,840 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 2: like a giant cupcake body with arms and legs. The 297 00:21:30,880 --> 00:21:33,800 Speaker 2: squiggle represented kind of like a line of buttons on 298 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:37,080 Speaker 2: a coat down his center. He also had like little 299 00:21:37,520 --> 00:21:41,280 Speaker 2: like a little like white squiggle mustache. Yeah, and he 300 00:21:41,359 --> 00:21:44,399 Speaker 2: wore a blue naval captain's hat, and his arms and 301 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:51,720 Speaker 2: legs had like blue uniform like dress uniform sleeves and 302 00:21:52,760 --> 00:21:55,160 Speaker 2: pant legs on them. 303 00:21:55,640 --> 00:21:56,800 Speaker 1: It's pretty. That's pretty good. 304 00:21:57,600 --> 00:22:00,919 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, a little bit creepy Scott's tend to be. 305 00:22:01,200 --> 00:22:04,760 Speaker 2: But yeah, oh yes, you know, pretty enthusias. 306 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:08,960 Speaker 1: Okay, So this was one I had to put in 307 00:22:09,000 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: here because this is a very specific memory for me. 308 00:22:12,280 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 1: In the nineties, there was a memorable hostess ad where 309 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,080 Speaker 1: a shark saw a woman in a black bathing suit 310 00:22:20,119 --> 00:22:23,600 Speaker 1: with swiggles on it, and she was seated in a 311 00:22:23,640 --> 00:22:28,359 Speaker 1: black inner tube and the shark thought she was a 312 00:22:28,440 --> 00:22:32,760 Speaker 1: hostess cupcake, so he the shark charges up at her. 313 00:22:33,160 --> 00:22:37,200 Speaker 1: She flies into the air screaming, and the shark asked, Hey, 314 00:22:37,440 --> 00:22:41,760 Speaker 1: where's the cream filling, which was their tackline for a while. 315 00:22:41,960 --> 00:22:44,919 Speaker 1: It was done very much in the style of Jaws, 316 00:22:44,960 --> 00:22:50,520 Speaker 1: like music evocative of Jaws, and I remember it so clearly. 317 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:54,040 Speaker 2: This was I was talking to some friends about doing 318 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:58,520 Speaker 2: this topic yesterday and this commercial is the first thing that. 319 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:03,760 Speaker 1: Got brought up very memorable commercials. 320 00:23:03,840 --> 00:23:11,640 Speaker 2: Yeah buying out, Hey, where's the cream filling? Yeah? Yeah, yeah. 321 00:23:11,680 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 2: The company, then officially known as Interstate Bakeries, did hit 322 00:23:17,200 --> 00:23:20,080 Speaker 2: a peak in the mid nineteen nineties as the largest 323 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:23,680 Speaker 2: wholesale baker of snack cakes and breads in the United States. 324 00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:29,960 Speaker 2: They would rename themselves Hostess Brands in two thousand and nine. 325 00:23:30,160 --> 00:23:32,480 Speaker 1: And this is where we get into some of our 326 00:23:32,520 --> 00:23:37,879 Speaker 1: fun business legal drama. Okay, So, over the years, the 327 00:23:37,920 --> 00:23:42,360 Speaker 1: company struggled as American taste shifted away from sweets and 328 00:23:42,720 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: labor cost increased. After two bankruptcies, the first in two 329 00:23:47,080 --> 00:23:49,960 Speaker 1: thousand and four and a falling out with union leadership 330 00:23:50,080 --> 00:23:54,000 Speaker 1: over recent wage and benefit cuts, the company liquidated in 331 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,960 Speaker 1: twenty twelve, eliminating eighteen five hundred jobs. There were a 332 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:02,879 Speaker 1: lot of fears at the time that these iconic products 333 00:24:02,960 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: would disappear from shelves, like the cupcake Twinkies, and they 334 00:24:08,600 --> 00:24:12,600 Speaker 1: did for about eight months, but production resumed in twenty 335 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:16,400 Speaker 1: thirteen after the company's assets were sold to Apollo Global 336 00:24:16,480 --> 00:24:22,520 Speaker 1: Management and Metropolis and Company. So people were very excited 337 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:22,879 Speaker 1: about that. 338 00:24:23,680 --> 00:24:25,960 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, oh yeah, this was a really big news item, 339 00:24:26,160 --> 00:24:29,280 Speaker 2: and the business side of the story is pretty wild 340 00:24:29,440 --> 00:24:34,160 Speaker 2: because like the company that held the brand had been 341 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 2: just incredibly mismanaged, Like they were in so much debt 342 00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:40,440 Speaker 2: that was held by these kind of fickle hedge funds, 343 00:24:40,920 --> 00:24:45,199 Speaker 2: and they had these intense pension costs, and all this 344 00:24:45,359 --> 00:24:49,720 Speaker 2: trouble with two kind of warring unions, the teamsters who 345 00:24:49,720 --> 00:24:55,960 Speaker 2: were their delivery drivers and the Aflcio Bak reunion. But 346 00:24:56,400 --> 00:25:00,400 Speaker 2: when the company liquidated after that second bankruptcy, that all 347 00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:06,240 Speaker 2: just like went away. Apollo General and that investor dude 348 00:25:06,760 --> 00:25:09,800 Speaker 2: bought up a bunch of the host To Snackcake brands 349 00:25:10,160 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 2: for just over four hundred million dollars and reopened under 350 00:25:13,920 --> 00:25:17,000 Speaker 2: the Hostess name. No one even bit against them when 351 00:25:17,000 --> 00:25:20,760 Speaker 2: they made their offer. They spent another like two hundred 352 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 2: and fifty million updating the factories and recipes and distribution model, 353 00:25:26,280 --> 00:25:32,760 Speaker 2: but it was immediately successful. They were immediately raking in billions. 354 00:25:33,920 --> 00:25:37,400 Speaker 2: We really could do a whole business drama episode about this. 355 00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,320 Speaker 2: It was very high profile. A lot of ink has 356 00:25:40,359 --> 00:25:45,080 Speaker 2: been spilled about it, which I love. I love all 357 00:25:45,119 --> 00:25:52,600 Speaker 2: of these incredibly serious financial publications writing extremely seriously about snackcakes. 358 00:25:53,200 --> 00:25:55,320 Speaker 2: It's really fun. 359 00:25:58,080 --> 00:25:58,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, it is. 360 00:26:00,200 --> 00:26:05,439 Speaker 2: Ugh at any rate. Yeah, like genuinely it worked like 361 00:26:05,560 --> 00:26:08,399 Speaker 2: they were acquired that. The brand was acquired by another 362 00:26:08,400 --> 00:26:12,280 Speaker 2: company called Gors Holdings in twenty sixteen, which took them 363 00:26:12,359 --> 00:26:15,320 Speaker 2: public on the Nasdaq that year with a valuation of 364 00:26:15,359 --> 00:26:17,080 Speaker 2: two point three billion dollars. 365 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:21,680 Speaker 1: Woo, what a roller coaster. 366 00:26:21,800 --> 00:26:26,800 Speaker 2: Right right, Yeah, and they just kind of chugged right along. 367 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:31,000 Speaker 2: Those birthday sprinkles cupcakes were launched in twenty nineteen to 368 00:26:31,119 --> 00:26:36,760 Speaker 2: celebrate the one hundredth anniversary of the Hostess brand. They 369 00:26:36,840 --> 00:26:41,480 Speaker 2: opened an innovation lab in Kansas in twenty twenty, employing 370 00:26:41,520 --> 00:26:45,240 Speaker 2: some twenty researchers, bakers, and product testers with eyes on 371 00:26:45,880 --> 00:26:48,800 Speaker 2: producing those like flashy limited edition flavors which are so 372 00:26:48,920 --> 00:26:51,240 Speaker 2: popular these days. 373 00:26:51,840 --> 00:26:58,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, and then the JM. Smucker Company purchased Hostess 374 00:26:58,040 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 1: for five point six billion dollars in twenty twenty three. 375 00:27:03,280 --> 00:27:06,400 Speaker 2: Five point six billion. Again, this was the largest ever 376 00:27:06,520 --> 00:27:10,879 Speaker 2: cake and bread brand acquisition in US history, and it 377 00:27:10,960 --> 00:27:14,040 Speaker 2: was the largest by a margin of three point two 378 00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:15,200 Speaker 2: billion dollars. 379 00:27:18,320 --> 00:27:27,320 Speaker 1: Well, that was an actual gas pullout, Oh my gosh. 380 00:27:25,880 --> 00:27:31,520 Speaker 2: Because because the second largest happened back in two thousand 381 00:27:31,560 --> 00:27:34,760 Speaker 2: and eight. This this toppled that record from two thousand 382 00:27:34,800 --> 00:27:38,959 Speaker 2: and eight, when when Bimbo bought like a bunch of 383 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:43,200 Speaker 2: stuff for around a measly two point four billion. 384 00:27:43,880 --> 00:27:47,000 Speaker 1: Wow, only two point four h. 385 00:27:48,240 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 2: And that was like a bunch of like Wonderbread adjacent properties. 386 00:27:51,359 --> 00:28:02,320 Speaker 2: So yeah, just wild. Those minis rolled out in twenty 387 00:28:02,359 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 2: twenty five. I don't know, man, uh huh uh huh. 388 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,680 Speaker 1: I you know, honestly, I really really do want to 389 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: hear from listeners about your favorite flavor, if you've got 390 00:28:19,000 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 1: a favorite special flavor. 391 00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,520 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, yeah, because. 392 00:28:24,320 --> 00:28:26,119 Speaker 1: I feel like they're up to all kinds of stuff 393 00:28:26,160 --> 00:28:27,160 Speaker 1: that I wasn't aware of. 394 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:32,119 Speaker 2: Oh, they've been through dozens and dozens of flavor iterations, 395 00:28:32,400 --> 00:28:36,320 Speaker 2: especially right over the past like ten to twenty years, 396 00:28:36,880 --> 00:28:41,640 Speaker 2: and so yeah, So if there's one that you remember 397 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:46,440 Speaker 2: fondly that got away, if there's a flavor that they 398 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 2: haven't done that you think that they should ooh, if 399 00:28:50,480 --> 00:28:56,400 Speaker 2: you think that a different snack cupcake is far far better. 400 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 1: I do know. Didn't get into this, but there's a 401 00:29:01,360 --> 00:29:05,960 Speaker 1: snack cake from Philadelphia that claims I think it's called 402 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:12,640 Speaker 1: Tasty Tasty Cake. Yeah, and they dispute hostesses claim to 403 00:29:12,760 --> 00:29:19,000 Speaker 1: being the first snack cake, not the first commercially produced cupcake, 404 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 1: the first snack cake. Oh, I see, you've gotta love 405 00:29:23,440 --> 00:29:27,040 Speaker 1: the specifics on here. Yeah, yeah, yes, So if you 406 00:29:27,080 --> 00:29:29,360 Speaker 1: know about that, then the tasty cake let us know. 407 00:29:29,800 --> 00:29:31,280 Speaker 1: We would love to hear about it. 408 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:33,240 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, that's a yeah. We'll have to get into 409 00:29:33,240 --> 00:29:34,800 Speaker 2: tasty Cake another time. 410 00:29:35,600 --> 00:29:38,200 Speaker 1: That's another day for now. I think that's what we 411 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,360 Speaker 1: have to say about the Hostess cupcake. 412 00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:44,560 Speaker 2: Yes, it is. But we do already have some listener 413 00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:46,360 Speaker 2: mail for you, and we're going to get into that 414 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:48,080 Speaker 2: as soon as we get back from one more quick 415 00:29:48,080 --> 00:29:59,800 Speaker 2: break forward from our sponsors, and we're back. 416 00:30:00,000 --> 00:30:02,760 Speaker 1: Thank you, sponsor, Yes, thank you, and we're back with 417 00:30:03,280 --> 00:30:11,400 Speaker 1: listener the comfort of a good treat. 418 00:30:11,880 --> 00:30:15,440 Speaker 2: Yes, yes, okay, all right. 419 00:30:15,400 --> 00:30:20,600 Speaker 1: So Jen wrote your Ameretto episode Unearthed a distant memory. 420 00:30:21,520 --> 00:30:27,160 Speaker 1: I've had the flaming Doctor Pepper. Sadly, the version I 421 00:30:27,200 --> 00:30:31,600 Speaker 1: had was not on fire. I'm guessing for safety reasons, 422 00:30:32,160 --> 00:30:34,960 Speaker 1: and I'm not sure if there was a second liquor involved, 423 00:30:35,000 --> 00:30:38,560 Speaker 1: but it was definitely amaretto dropped into a logger and 424 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:42,560 Speaker 1: it really did taste like Doctor Pepper. I can't recall 425 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:45,440 Speaker 1: where I had this concoction, though it was likely here 426 00:30:45,440 --> 00:30:49,120 Speaker 1: in Halifax or when we lived in Toronto. Another drink 427 00:30:49,160 --> 00:30:51,520 Speaker 1: I do recall having at a pub here in Halifax 428 00:30:51,640 --> 00:30:54,720 Speaker 1: was the Ale Caesar, which was a fifty to fifty 429 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:59,720 Speaker 1: mix of beer and a caesar, a Canadian cocktail with clamato, juice, 430 00:30:59,720 --> 00:31:03,320 Speaker 1: fot and various spices and flavorings. May be worth its 431 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:06,800 Speaker 1: own episode if it wasn't covered in the Bloody Merry episode. 432 00:31:07,440 --> 00:31:10,480 Speaker 1: That one I recall mostly just tasted like a fizzy Caesar, 433 00:31:10,960 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: though not a bad taste by any means. I don't 434 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:17,840 Speaker 1: think we talked about that. I think we might have 435 00:31:18,040 --> 00:31:20,200 Speaker 1: mentioned it in the Bloody Merry episode. 436 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:26,440 Speaker 2: It's ringing a very vague bell. But yeah, yeah, I'll 437 00:31:27,160 --> 00:31:30,560 Speaker 2: I'll have to do some I'll have to do some looking. Certainly, 438 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:35,760 Speaker 2: Clamato is a phenomenon that we should talk about, yes, 439 00:31:36,240 --> 00:31:40,160 Speaker 2: because I am fascinated by clam juice plus tomato, and 440 00:31:40,200 --> 00:31:42,480 Speaker 2: then you bottle it in its shelf stable and people 441 00:31:42,520 --> 00:31:47,520 Speaker 2: purchase it on purpose and put it in things. I 442 00:31:47,520 --> 00:31:49,720 Speaker 2: don't have anything against Clemato. I feel like I'm about 443 00:31:49,760 --> 00:31:50,400 Speaker 2: to get hate mail. 444 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:56,400 Speaker 1: Klemato played a pretty sizable role in our Dungeons and 445 00:31:56,480 --> 00:31:57,600 Speaker 1: Dragons campaign. 446 00:31:57,760 --> 00:32:02,360 Speaker 2: Oh Yeah, that's right, it did. Yeah, it's we obtained 447 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,720 Speaker 2: some climato while we were out adventuring, like the party did, 448 00:32:06,840 --> 00:32:09,600 Speaker 2: like our fictional characters did we we we did. 449 00:32:09,440 --> 00:32:13,560 Speaker 1: Not, but and it became a recurring concept. 450 00:32:13,800 --> 00:32:16,120 Speaker 2: It really went a long way. 451 00:32:17,480 --> 00:32:20,520 Speaker 1: Food does come up a lot in our our campaign, 452 00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:26,200 Speaker 1: and I'm also interested in climato. I happened upon I 453 00:32:26,240 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 1: don't know why, but I saw a label that I 454 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:30,600 Speaker 1: was just like, whoa, what is this? It looked really 455 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 1: fancy and I picked it up and it was comato. 456 00:32:33,280 --> 00:32:35,960 Speaker 1: Oh we should talk about this. 457 00:32:35,920 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 2: We should. Yeah, yeah, and yeah, I am also sad 458 00:32:40,880 --> 00:32:45,480 Speaker 2: that you're flaming Doctor Pepper was not flaming, But but 459 00:32:45,600 --> 00:32:47,720 Speaker 2: I'm glad that it really did taste like a doctor Pepper. 460 00:32:47,760 --> 00:32:53,160 Speaker 1: That's so weird, that's fascinating. I'm so I'm so interested 461 00:32:53,160 --> 00:32:56,600 Speaker 1: in it. But yes, I mean it's perhaps for the best. 462 00:32:56,800 --> 00:33:01,000 Speaker 1: Maybe this is a final destination situation where we don't 463 00:33:01,040 --> 00:33:04,680 Speaker 1: need to mess with the flaming cocktail. So yeah, yeah, 464 00:33:04,760 --> 00:33:09,960 Speaker 1: for the good of all of us. Yeah, yes, Paul 465 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: wrote just listen to the Tomatillo episode and wanted to 466 00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 1: share our experience with them. We live in northwestern Lower Michigan, 467 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,240 Speaker 1: which is a Zone six A. There's an amazing local, 468 00:33:20,280 --> 00:33:24,280 Speaker 1: authentic Mexican restaurant called Osario's where we had real salsaverite 469 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:25,600 Speaker 1: for the first time. Years ago. 470 00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:28,040 Speaker 2: We decided we wanted to try and make it at home, 471 00:33:28,160 --> 00:33:30,200 Speaker 2: so that meant trying to grow a Mexican plant in 472 00:33:30,240 --> 00:33:33,720 Speaker 2: northern Michigan. Because of our geological history, the soil is 473 00:33:33,760 --> 00:33:36,880 Speaker 2: sandy and rocky, like a gravel pit. As a result, 474 00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:40,080 Speaker 2: you have to constantly add organic matter and water, often 475 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:43,000 Speaker 2: to deal with the quick drainage. We were skeptical but 476 00:33:43,160 --> 00:33:45,680 Speaker 2: surprised how well they took to our soil up here. 477 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:47,800 Speaker 2: We've been growing them for a few years now and 478 00:33:47,840 --> 00:33:50,720 Speaker 2: are having great success when all the other plants that 479 00:33:50,760 --> 00:33:53,040 Speaker 2: are supposed to do well in this climate are struggling. 480 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:56,800 Speaker 2: The tomatillos are actually outgrowing the weeds. Last year, we 481 00:33:56,840 --> 00:33:59,920 Speaker 2: planted thirty eight seedlings before finding out each plant can 482 00:34:00,080 --> 00:34:03,600 Speaker 2: produced ten to twelve pounds each. Needless to say, we 483 00:34:03,720 --> 00:34:06,479 Speaker 2: ended up harvesting over fifty pounds before we ran out 484 00:34:06,520 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 2: of room in the freezers. We left the rest and 485 00:34:09,200 --> 00:34:13,400 Speaker 2: this year have about five times the volunteers then actual seeds. 486 00:34:13,560 --> 00:34:17,680 Speaker 2: We planted no worries though the words gotten out about 487 00:34:17,680 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 2: our salsa ver dae, so we'll be giving a lot away. 488 00:34:21,160 --> 00:34:23,240 Speaker 2: We're also going to try our hand at chili verde 489 00:34:23,320 --> 00:34:27,640 Speaker 2: with Tomatio's hatch chilis and pork shoulder. Maybe it'll finally 490 00:34:27,680 --> 00:34:30,040 Speaker 2: be enough to beat my rival at the work chili 491 00:34:30,080 --> 00:34:35,040 Speaker 2: cook off this winter. I'll keep you updated regarding ripe tomatillos. 492 00:34:35,239 --> 00:34:37,960 Speaker 2: Ours did turn pale yellow and purple, which made for 493 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:40,840 Speaker 2: a beautiful color In some of the salsa. The flavor 494 00:34:40,840 --> 00:34:44,120 Speaker 2: does shift away from the sharp tang towards a little sweetness. 495 00:34:44,200 --> 00:34:47,560 Speaker 2: About what was curious was the odor gone? Was the 496 00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:50,520 Speaker 2: freshness replaced with the smell of a fruit right on 497 00:34:50,560 --> 00:34:52,960 Speaker 2: the cusp of rotten. We almost threw them in the 498 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:56,880 Speaker 2: compost before deciding to try anyway. Good news, they absolutely 499 00:34:56,880 --> 00:34:59,000 Speaker 2: did not taste how they smelled, and now we have 500 00:34:59,320 --> 00:35:04,799 Speaker 2: two kinds of selsa ver day to enjoy. Oh this 501 00:35:04,920 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 2: is fascinating because see this is kind of my experience 502 00:35:08,160 --> 00:35:13,600 Speaker 2: with gooseberries and why I don't particularly enjoy gooseberries because I, yeah, 503 00:35:13,640 --> 00:35:17,080 Speaker 2: there's a scent that's sort of like right like like 504 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:23,200 Speaker 2: like rot like like almost fermented in a bad way. 505 00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:25,520 Speaker 1: Fruit like sweet decay. 506 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:30,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, so, but I'm glad. I'm glad that 507 00:35:30,200 --> 00:35:33,200 Speaker 2: they taste I'm glad that they taste good. In the 508 00:35:33,239 --> 00:35:35,200 Speaker 2: case of the ripe talmentios, that's great. 509 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:42,920 Speaker 1: Yes, Also, congratulations, even if you've got perhaps more than 510 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:47,680 Speaker 1: you were thinking, you're going to get. 511 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:48,960 Speaker 2: Ten to twelve pounds out of thirty eight seedlings. 512 00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:53,360 Speaker 1: Yeah, that's quite a bit. I'm sure everybody's happy to 513 00:35:54,680 --> 00:35:59,480 Speaker 1: share the enjoy the fruit, silver Labor. I am desperate 514 00:35:59,520 --> 00:36:02,479 Speaker 1: to hear more about your rival at work at the worst. 515 00:36:04,160 --> 00:36:12,320 Speaker 1: Oh yeah, right, please keep us updated. I'm hooked already. 516 00:36:12,520 --> 00:36:15,719 Speaker 2: Oh yeah yeah. And this because because that chili very 517 00:36:15,760 --> 00:36:17,839 Speaker 2: day sounds really good. 518 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:24,640 Speaker 1: It sounds delicious. I want that right now. 519 00:36:25,160 --> 00:36:26,200 Speaker 2: Yep, yep. 520 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 1: So yes, please keep us updated. I must know meantime though. 521 00:36:37,200 --> 00:36:40,080 Speaker 1: Thank you to both of these listeners writing in. Yes, 522 00:36:40,560 --> 00:36:42,439 Speaker 1: if you would like to write to us, you can 523 00:36:42,640 --> 00:36:45,000 Speaker 1: our email us hello at savorpod dot com. 524 00:36:45,040 --> 00:36:47,480 Speaker 2: We're also on social media. You can find us on 525 00:36:47,560 --> 00:36:50,440 Speaker 2: Instagram and blue Sky at saber pod, and we do 526 00:36:50,520 --> 00:36:53,680 Speaker 2: hope to hear from you. Savor is production of iHeartRadio. 527 00:36:53,920 --> 00:36:56,120 Speaker 2: For more podcasts in My Heart Radio, you can visit 528 00:36:56,120 --> 00:36:59,279 Speaker 2: the iHeartRadio, app, Apple podcasts, or wherever you listen to 529 00:36:59,320 --> 00:37:02,160 Speaker 2: your favorite show. Thanks as always to our super producers 530 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:05,080 Speaker 2: Dylan Fagan and Andrew Howard. Thanks to you for listening, 531 00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:07,000 Speaker 2: and we hope that lots more good things are coming 532 00:37:07,040 --> 00:37:15,319 Speaker 2: your way.