Under the Radar Podcast
GBH
Under the Radar with Callie Crossley looks to alternative presses and community news for stories that are often overlooked by big media outlets. In our roundtable conversation, we aim to examine the small stories before they become the big headlines with contributors in Boston and New England. For more information, visit our website: wgbhnews.org/utr
Radio: 89.7 WGBH
Categories: News & Politics
Listen to the last episode:
America loves hot sauce. A 2021 Instacart survey found 74% of consumers eat hot sauce with their food, and when there was a shortage of the popular Huy Fong Foods' sriracha hot sauce last year, one bottle would go for as much as $52 on Amazon. Right now, they go for $9. But given Greater Boston’s reputation for cuisine that is the opposite of spicy (clam chowda, anyone?) you might be surprised that Massachusetts has a long history with hot sauce — the first bottled cayenne sauces appeared here in 1807.“There is a really, really long history of use of hot and spicy foods in the Americas,” Megan Elias, director of the food studies programs at Boston University, told Under the Radar. “The capsicum comes from the Americas. And it was, then exported out to Europe and to the rest of the world, really crucially. So it ends up in South Asia and ends up in Africa, getting kind of involved ... in the foods there. And then, eventually kind of comes back to the U.S.”The hot sauce market in the U.S. is projected to grow from about $3 billion in 2023 to more than $5 billion by 2030, and there will be plenty of spicy food for local fans to sample at the upcoming, inaugural Rhythm N' Spice festival in Cambridge on Saturday, May 4. It reflects the area's growing desire for spicy flavors, says Nicola Williams, producer of the festival. She plans to highlight the culinary diversity that exists in Greater Boston.“We have a spicy Jamaican vegetarian and beef patty challenge. We have a spicy pizza challenge with a local, Black-owned restaurant right here in Cambridge. We have, wings. And we're going to have three categories of flavors, from African sauces, to jerk, to hot sauce from all over the world,” she said. “And so we want to make sure that we infuse all of this spice throughout the event. We also have dance so you can shake it off after you've blown your mouth or palates.”GUESTSNicola Williams, producer of the Rhythm N' Spice Hot Sauce Fest, president of The Williams AgencyBrian Ruhlmann, founder and owner of Craic Sauce in Lowell, MassachusettsMegan Elias, director of the food studies programs at Boston University
Previous episodes
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525 - A drop of ghost pepper with your clam chowder? A new Cambridge hot sauce festival will bring the heat Sun, 28 Apr 2024 - 0h
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524 - Over 1 million Americans start menopause every year. Why don’t we talk about it? Sun, 28 Apr 2024 - 0h
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523 - From ancient art to K-Pop, 'Hallyu! The Korean Wave' celebrates South Korea's global influence Sun, 21 Apr 2024 - 0h
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522 - Maine legislature rallies for gender-affirming care with a new bill Sun, 21 Apr 2024 - 0h
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521 - Bay Staters' attitudes on abortion reflect nationwide consensus Sun, 14 Apr 2024 - 0h
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520 - Rhode Island taxpayers gawk at the $132 million price tag of a new stadium Sun, 14 Apr 2024 - 0h
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519 - 'Relinquished' aims to challenge our understanding of adoption in America Sun, 07 Apr 2024 - 0h
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518 - From Billie Eilish to Stevie Wonder, musicians demand creative protections against AI Sun, 07 Apr 2024 - 0h
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517 - From fadeaways to the runway, 'Fly' documents the world of NBA fashion Sun, 31 Mar 2024 - 0h
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516 - How community fridges continue to fight food insecurity across the commonwealth Sun, 31 Mar 2024 - 0h
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515 - Trump continues to signal he won't accept a loss in November Sun, 24 Mar 2024 - 0h
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514 - The 'Queen of Jazz,' Ella Fitzgerald's legacy is celebrated in new book Sun, 17 Mar 2024 - 0h
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513 - Why some Republicans are aligning with Latin American populists Sun, 17 Mar 2024 - 0h
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512 - The island spirit of Puerto Rico is coming to Boston in an inaugural cultural tour Sun, 10 Mar 2024 - 0h
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511 - A local organization is tracing the lineage of enslaved Americans to their present-day ancestors Sun, 10 Mar 2024 - 0h
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510 - A year of 'wins' for Asian American representation in movies and TV Sun, 03 Mar 2024 - 0h
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509 - New documentary shows how flight attendants fought to transform workplace, break gender barriers Sun, 25 Feb 2024 - 0h
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508 - America has grappled with reparations for centuries. Will it happen in Boston? Sun, 25 Feb 2024 - 0h
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507 - The Genius Next Door: Harvard's Imani Perry on the history and culture forged by Black Americans Sun, 18 Feb 2024 - 0h
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506 - Why the 'Battle of Versailles' still resonates 50 years later Sun, 18 Feb 2024 - 0h
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505 - GBH President and CEO Susan Goldberg on the importance of 'Reckoning and Repair' initiative Sun, 11 Feb 2024 - 0h
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504 - 'Our Hidden Conversations' reveals the poignant discussions that Americans are having about race Sun, 11 Feb 2024 - 0h
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503 - Florida continues its assault on LGBTQ rights with a new driver's license rule Sun, 11 Feb 2024 - 0h
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502 - 'In the Pines' author confronts family's ties to Mississippi lynching Sun, 04 Feb 2024 - 0h
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501 - Why one organization is working to highlight New Hampshire's rich Black history Sun, 04 Feb 2024 - 0h
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500 - A new dictionary aims to boost the language and pride of Cabo Verdeans Sun, 28 Jan 2024 - 0h
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499 - New reforms open up access to disaster funding in Massachusetts and beyond Sun, 28 Jan 2024 - 0h
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498 - Scottish culture is piping up in Boston Sun, 21 Jan 2024 - 0h
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497 - As goes New Hampshire so goes the nation? New voters may change Granite State politics Sun, 21 Jan 2024 - 0h
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496 - Two Embrace Boston honorees reflect on their efforts for a more equitable city Sun, 14 Jan 2024 - 0h
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495 - New documentary features African students at MIT and their journey far from home Sun, 14 Jan 2024 - 0h
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494 - Two experts unpack Barbra Streisand's long-awaited memoir Sun, 07 Jan 2024 - 0h
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493 - Why some grocery stores are rejecting self-checkout and replacing them with humans Sun, 07 Jan 2024 - 0h
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492 - Mr. Mike's Merry Mix 2023: Our annual review of peculiar holiday music Sun, 17 Dec 2023 - 0h
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491 - Frozen food advent calendars and a new French bubbly are popping off this holiday season Sun, 10 Dec 2023 - 0h
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490 - 250 years later, local experts consider the complex legacy of the Boston Tea Party Sun, 10 Dec 2023 - 0h
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489 - Daniel Mason's 'North Woods' explores a vibrant history of New England Sun, 03 Dec 2023 - 0h
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488 - It's the season of giving, but what motivates Americans to give? Sun, 03 Dec 2023 - 0h
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487 - The Genius Next Door: Harvard's Imani Perry on the history and culture forged by Black Americans Sun, 26 Nov 2023 - 0h
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486 - Why the 'Battle of Versailles' still resonates 50 years later Sun, 26 Nov 2023 - 0h
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485 - The Genius Next Door: BU ecologist breaks down carbon dynamics Sun, 19 Nov 2023 - 0h
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484 - Catch up on your New England news in 30 minutes Sun, 19 Nov 2023 - 0h
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483 - The Genius Next Door: Harvard cellular and molecular biologist Jason Buenrostro breaks down gene expression Sun, 12 Nov 2023 - 0h
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482 - Despite the horror of war, these organizations continue to seek peace between Israelis and Palestinians Sun, 12 Nov 2023 - 0h
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481 - Author and scholar Julia Lee discusses growing up neither Black nor white in America Sun, 05 Nov 2023 - 0h
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480 - Latinx News Roundtable: Boston Schools' English learners advisors resign in protest of 'harmful' plan Sun, 05 Nov 2023 - 0h
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479 - Author Marta McDowell explores how gardening inspires mystery writers Sun, 29 Oct 2023 - 0h
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478 - A new $4 billion bond bill takes aim at Massachusetts' housing shortage Sun, 29 Oct 2023 - 0h
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477 - New restaurants solidify Boston as a big catch for seafood lovers Sun, 22 Oct 2023 - 0h
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476 - From Arkansas to New Hampshire, states are rolling back child labor laws Sun, 22 Oct 2023 - 0h