Featured : CHRISTINA WARD, Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat — An American HistoryDoes God have a recipe? I know who to ask! Independent food historian Christina Ward’s highly anticipated Holy Food explores the influence of mainstream (and fringe) religious beliefs on modern American food culture. It's the story of true believers and charlatans, of idealists and visionaries, and of the everyday people who followed them—often at their peril. Of course, religious beliefs have been the source of food "rules" since Pythagoras told his followers not to eat beans (because they contain souls, apparently), the Kosher and Halal rules that forbade he shrimp cocktail, or the long-ago Pope who forbade Catholics from eating meat on Fridays (fasting to atone for committed sins—or just needed to boost the fish market value?). Only in the United States—where the freedom to worship the God of your choice and sometimes of your own making—could people embrace such new ideas about religion...and what you’re allowed to put in your mouth (I am going to have to revisit my comedy sketch God costume, aren’t I…) By the way, if you aren’t already enticed, Holy Food features over 75 recipes from religious and communal groups tested and updated for modern cooks. Maybe instead of a cocktail we should have a bake off?

Episode was recorded live November 13, 2025.

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