The confusion fusion that is Sweet & Sour sauce! We learn how it became a Chinatown staple and racist immigration policies of the US from the 19th century. It's crazy. We meet Robert C. Baker the hero who invented the chicken nugget. Guess how much money he made off of that venture? It's a stunner. Emily shows off her knowledge as an unofficial McDonald's historian. We tour (via an article) the zero-rated restaurants in Swindon. Disclaimer: This is not a vegetarian friendly episode.
#39: Henderson's Relish (00:36:17)
Henderson's Relish. The pride of Yorkshire! Hendos has a loyal fanbase for a reason: it is a lovely condiment. An institution in Sheffield, we meet Henry Henderson the inventor and namesake of the relish. People STAN #Hendos so we look at the fandom and Sean Bean can't stop talking about it at press junkets. Plus, find out why Nick Clegg had a fight in the House of Commons over Henderson's Relish. Who doesn't want to listen to this episode! People of Yorkshire - we're coming for your ears!
#38: Mojo (00:36:50)
Mojo! A staple condiment of the Canary Island's tries to land a spot on the island. You've probably had this on holiday and didn't even know it. Get ready for a history lesson in the Canary Islands food culture and Emily talks about potatoes for a while. Tom corrects Emily's constant mispronunciation of Spanish words and talks about witches. We meet a Canarian that's bringing mojo to the UK with his company Noda's Food. AND! A PROMO CODE! Go to nodasfood.com and type in DesertIslandDips20 to and support his mojo making business. Plus we check out the Cuban connection to the condiment and why Guy Fieri, the self-appointed Mayor of Flavourtown is backing it.
#37: Aioli (00:33:06)
Aioli! The tastier cousin to mayonnaise finally gets it's very own episode! Tom introduces us to it's Roman roots and Pliny the Elder. We're working on our Pliny the Elder merch. Tom also informs Emily he's -shock- in a band and is a cunning linguist! Sorry. Emily's been watching too much Drag Race. He just studied linguistics. Also, Emily feels really old as she recounter her employment history. There is much debate over whether aioli gets on the island.
#36: Marinara (00:37:09)
Marinara. The Italian sauce with humble beginnings as a sailors dinner to pizza crust sidekick. Emily talks about the inception of the sauce and offers many Pizza Hut based confessions of her misspent youth. Tom weighs out his relationship with Papa John's. And, buckle up for one bizarre corporate showdowns in pizza history. We find out why #CaptainMarvel is packing marinara wherever she goes and meet the former Trump and current marina-heiress.
#35: Frank's RedHot (00:35:57)
There are a lot of Franks is the story of Frank's RedHot and one elephant named Jumbo. Tom introduces us to all the Franks and discovers how one traveling salesman from Cincinnati changed the way we eat. We take a trip to Buffalo NY to talk about the holy union of chicken wings and Frank's Red Hot and meet another Condiment good guy. But, like not a physical trip. We don't have that kind of budget. And we discover why Philadelphia has abandoned the Wing Bowl. Spoiler: It is not because they ran out of wings.
#34: Curry Sauce (00:40:42)
Curry Sauce. There are so many layers to this episode. From the OG Nigella from the 18th century named Hannah Glasse where curry powder made its way into our diets, to the fish and chip shops in Salford from where Curry Sauce was created in the 1960s to the Chinese takeaways that made their own rival. We've got a lot to cover. And let's not forget German curry sauce! We meet Alan Pearce from Kerry Foods Service - the all knowing historian of Curry Sauce. And Emily goes on her first foreign pilgrimage to Berlin to pay tribute to Herta Heuwer - the woman who invented the German staple Currywurst.
#33: Piccalilli (00:37:19)
Tricky to spell, easy to eat: it's piccalilli's turn to fight for a spot on the island. Tom talks about the indian origins of this pickled wonder and it's american cousin chow-chow. Meanwhile Emily gets distracted by oversharing a story about a woman in Waitrose who was panic buying piccalilli on Christmas Eve and gets nostalgic for electric typewriters. PS: I know Emily's voice sounds weird. But I couldn't figure it out. So deal.
#32: Salsa (00:38:46)
Will Salsa dance it's way on to the Island? I assume that's how Salsa moves. It salsas. That looks weird. Oh right, episode description. Emily talks about a "Salsa Dynasty" that has all kinds of DRAMA. They put the picante in Pace Picante Sauce. Salsa is also a magical healing agent for Major League Baseball player Matt Carpenter. Naturally, we'll question modern medicine. AND! AND! AND! Old El Paso employees break records with stuff and stand tacos and so we gotta talk-o about that. Maybe Tom should be in charge of writing these.
#31: Condiments: A Year In Review (00:38:49)
Emily goes deep into her Google search history to bring some weird condiment based news that didn't make it into the past 30 episodes of Desert Island Dips. Things like: a Long Island school district that's limited condiments to two sachets per child and a crime involving a landscaper, a sex tape and maple syrup. OH! And a Melbourne hacker space that has created a Saucebot. Then in SPORTS! Tom talks about his love of American football and Patrick Mahomes' love for Heinz ketchup.
#30: Bread Sauce (00:29:58)
Bread Sauce! Dogs! Porpoises! This episode has it all. What is Bread Sauce? And more importantly - who eats it with their roast dinner? Emily and Tom start a campaign to save the environment by using more bread bowls and bread plates. This podcast the perfect Christmas companion so that you can avoid your relatives and then wow them with facts about how peasants used to eat before being a celiac was a diagnosable medical illness. Also, bring on the Egg Nog pancakes.
#29: Christmas Sandwich Special (00:33:50)
Emily and Tom talk with their mouths full for 30 odd minutes. Six Christmas sandwiches purchased in one afternoon are ready to be reviewed. Who will become the Desert Island Dips Christmas Dinner and which will be disqualified for not being Christmas-y enough. Tesco, Sainsbury's, Waitrose, M&S, and Pret A Manger. Get ready for deep nerd talk about Meal Deal sandwiches and the condiments they contain. #LiveEveryDayLikeYouAreEatingAVienettaOnYourLunchBreak
#28: French Mustard (00:32:22)
Tom completes the holy mustard trilogy with French Mustard. We learn about how even a Pope has to find a job for his lazy nephew. Emily ponders a historical career as a condiment hawker while Tom has his eyes on a traditional mustard boutique. Plus, spoilers on Christmas presents for our parents. Tom shares his love for Wayne's World en francais. #TakeMeToTheBookDisco
#27: Oyster Sauce (00:34:23)
Oyster Sauce! Or the story of how one accident spawned global family empire with a 1,000 year business plan - THAT YOU'VE NEVER HEARD OF! Emily talks about the history of this great Chinese food staple and bestows the best piece of trivia you will find in a podcast. Tom fantasises about how much gherkin he could eat. And we talk vintage Ken Hom and the wok Emily stole from him. Get ready to meet the Lee Kum Kee family!
#26: Peri-Peri (00:34:10)
Peri-Peri might as well be called "Nando's sauce" but this podcast refuses to let that happen. We learn all about its Latin America via Africa via Portugal roots. Tom tells us what number of dates it takes for him to take a lady to Nando's. We virtually visit the first Nando's in the UK. Tom goes on the hunt for Peri-Peri bants. While Emily gets distracted by about the mysterious Nando's Black Card legend and the REAL black card issued by the Dumpling Truck in Spitalfields Market and dreams up her ideal fast food loyalty programme.
#25: Houmous (00:38:19)
Houmous or Hummus? Who knows. But, we do know it is a magical thing. Tom and Emily talk about the great Houmous Wars. The fact houmous is an aphrodisiac and the time Emily called a guy a "Chubby Paul Rudd" (it was meant as a compliment). And did you know that sweet houmous is a thing? Oh and there is more jibber-jabber that we've come to expect from the best podcast about condiments you've ever heard. AND! we are in the midst of a houmous shortage!
#24: Mint Sauce (00:31:34)
Emily comes back from the honeymoon bearing gifts and her 85 year-old Granny makes her podcasting debut. Tom takes us on a journey of mint sauce wonders with a Minthe the Nymph, a Roman Heston Blumenthal-type, and Elizabeth I (who jumpstarts the mint sauce revolution). BONUS: We get to learn all about Tom's childhood French classes. What a confusing time that was.
#23: Maple Syrup (00:35:33)
A true battle as Tom Wiggins is a big meanie who does believe that sweet condiments are a thing. Sorry Tom. You are wrong. And this is why you shouldn't trust me (Emily) to write the episode descriptions. Because I'm getting the last word in this passive aggressive way. Also, we talk about a badass woman whose maple syrup biz in the 1700s was endorsed by King Louis XVI and the largest robbery in Canadian history: the Great Maple Syrup Heist.
#22: Sh** the Bed with Renae Bunster (00:26:48)
Sh** the Bed is a hot sauce. Yep. That's the name. Creator Renae Bunster joins us to talk about it from Perth. Renae tell us the inspirational story of walking away from journalism to pursue her dreams: making a condiment. She gives us our first exclusive! I know! We're breaking news on this podcast! Plus we talk about stalking celebrity clients (Kristen Bell, Natalie Portman, Gordon Ramsey) and Renae tells us what would be on her desert island.
#21: Horseradish (00:32:50)
Horse + radish = condiment. Tom tells us what noise a radish makes. We learn all about the healing properties of horseradish. (Ladies, time to fight UTI's with the power of horseradish!) Emily readies her entry into the Little Miss Horseradish competition. Tom remembers his brief career meeting famous rappers.
#20: Salad Cream (00:32:52)
The much awaited Salad Cream episode. Is Salad Cream going to disappear? A controversial name change is pitched for the sauce but will it stick? What else? Oh, Salad Cream, according to Tom, is condiment that even Nazis don't like. Emily gets a deeper understanding of why her Nanna loves it. Tom stumbles across the 'Salad Cream Challenge' as he fell down a YouTube hole. Emily says 'no' in disgust A LOT.
#19: Ajika (00:27:54)
A mystery sauce is delivered to Emily's Russian hotel room and turns out it's a game changer. It's all about Ajika on this episode. And while you probably don't know what it is, buckle up. we've got a story to tell about sheep farmers/shepherds, Doncaster and sanctions! Plus, the World Cup makes a cameo. Kinda.
#18: Ranch (00:32:12)
Plumber Steve Henson retired at 35 and then invented a condiment that would turn into a multi-million dollar industry: Ranch dressing. It's a beloved condiment of the U-S-A, U-S-A. But why? Should it be eaten on cereal and with Oreos? Some say yes. Also, Chrissy Teigen has firm stances on the rules surrounding Ranch and is now a dream guest. And then we fall down the rabbit hole of condiments with pizza and a Dallas pizza place that put a $1,000 price tag on a side of Ranch. Tom learns in America the humane society is there to help animals and it blows his mind.
#17: Branston Pickle (00:36:27)
Branston Pickle is an outstandingly British condiment that Tom loves. Tom goes into the history of the brown stuff and Crosse & Blackwell while Emily asks him to convert historical currency into today's money off the top of his head. What's the difference between pickle and a chutney? Oh, we discuss that. And there is a thing called a 'Briem Egg' which sounds tasty. Tom plays with his copper pipe. How's that for a tease!
#16: Soy Sauce (00:37:43)
Soy Sauce! Did you know an ancient goddess is responsible for handing over this recipe to an emperor? It's way more complicated than that but for the sake of this intro blerb, you should listen to find out more. We hand out the first Desert Island Dips Iconic Bottle Award. Emily talks about the fascinating history of the soy sauce sachet. Tennis star Genie Bourchard dips her pizza in soy sauce. Is she on to something?
