What the Food?
Welcome to What the Food?—the history and comedy podcast that dives into the weird, wild, and fascinating history of food, drinks, and dining cultures around the world. We’re Miles, Andy, and Dom—just three friends with a love for food and a knack for uncovering its untold stories. From surprising food origins to the moments that shaped how we eat, we uncover the strange, unexpected, and often hilarious history behind what ends up on our plates. Join us on our next culinary adventure through time!
What the Food?
New York’s Oyster Obsession
Once upon a time, New York was built on oysters, literally. From the Lenape shell heaps to 19th-century oyster saloons (and the dodgy brothels hiding behind them), oysters were everywhere. They fed the rich, the poor, and even fuelled a secret stop on the Underground Railroad.
In this episode, we dive into the briny, bizarre history of New York’s oyster craze. How the city went mad for molluscs, ate its way through entire reefs, and is now trying to bring them back to clean its filthy harbour.
With massive oyster-eating contests, mollusc mafias, and an oyster so big it was compared to "swallowing a baby", this is a story you don’t want to miss.
Come for the seafood. Stay for the scandal.
This is our 50th episode! Thank you for being here! Next stop 100.
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Theme music: “Celebration” by Alexander Nakarada. Available for use under the CC BY 4.0 license (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)