“I stopped and took a second to realize that this was my life. I was in deep conversation with a real rocket scientist, as we debated about how the angle of how a chip goes into the dip affects the outcome,” says Dan Pashman, two-time James Beard Award-nominated creator and host of WNYC’s food podcast “The Sporkful” and the Cooking Channel’s web series, “You’re Eating It Wrong.”
Rocket science and chips; who knew? But after a chat with Dan and a read through his newest book, “Eat More Better: How to Make Every Bite More Delicious,” I was slowly but surely understanding his work. The man just wants to make sure that every bite we take in is the best bite possible, so he shares his tried and tested techniques on how to do just that. Topics in his book (seriously) include: Principles of Sandwich Engineering and Architecture; Pros and Cons of Popcorn Shapes; Optimal Potato Chip Geometry; and Playing the Field with Per-Bite Dipping, among others.
Dan started his career in radio on more serious topics, as well as doing talk radio and print journalism, where he covered news, politics, music, and culture for NPR, Vanity Fair, and the Washington Post, among others. After being laid off six times in eight years, he realize that the only way to keep a job was to create one for himself. As a result he started the podcast “The Sporkful,” initially as a hobby, that eventually turned into the No. 1 food podcast on iTunes and a book deal, among other opportunities.
“It’s all about ratios,” he states, when I ask how we can eat lobster rolls “more better.” As someone who has summered on Martha’s Vineyard for the past 34 years, Dan has had his fair share of lobster rolls, and explains that the bread-to-lobster-meat ratio is key. If you’re going to have a small amount of lobster meat, make sure your bun is comparable to that amount. No tricking the eye and filling the bun halfway with shredded iceberg and then topping it with lobster meat!
Another key phrase he uses is “proximity to the tongue,” which he explains best with the example of placing the cheese for your cheeseburger underneath the burger patty, so the cheese hits your tongue first. This method also prevents the bun from getting soggy — pretty genius, right?
Interested in hearing more about Dan’s strategic eating techniques? Head to Bunch of Grapes on August 16th at 4pm, where he’ll be signing and talking about his new cookbook, “Eat More Better.” There will also be an “Oreo-cookie eating activity” and a chip-and-dip strategy session. This is a family event, so bring the kids; light refreshments will be served. Follow Dan on Twitter at @TheSporkful, and check out his website, sporkful.com, where you can listen to his podcasts and buy his new book. Here’s to eating “more better.”