How Taste Changed the World with Adam Liaw cover art

How Taste Changed the World with Adam Liaw

By: Adam Liaw, Josh Martin
Narrated by: Adam Liaw, Yotam Ottolenghi, Dan Barber, Kenji Lopez-Alt
  • Summary

  • Join Australian cook Adam Liaw as he investigates the science and history of our five tastes – sweet, bitter, salty, sour and umami. Our taste for salt is vital to our biology but it also turned food into a commodity underpinning global economics for thousands of years. Sweetness that once guided our evolutionary forebears to energy-rich fruits is now used to sell us soft drinks. Deliciously immersive, this epic new Audible Original unravels how taste has shaped our food, our society and our planet.

    Featuring: Yotam Ottolenghi, Dan Barber, Kenji Lopez-Alt and Fuchsia Dunlop.

    Written and produced by Adam Liaw and Josh Martin. Produced by i8 Studio Pty Ltd.

    This is an Audible Original Podcast. Free for members.

    ©2022 i8 Studio Pty Ltd. (P)2022 Audible Australia Pty Ltd.
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Episodes
  • Ep 1: The Case for Taste
    May 4 2022
    Adam Liaw cracks the code of taste in cooking. He is joined by superstar chef, author and restaurateur Yotam Ottolenghi who explains how taste guides our hand in the kitchen even when we aren’t even thinking about it.
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    33 mins
  • Ep 2: Sweet
    May 4 2022
    Our taste for sweetness guided our evolutionary forebears to energy-rich fruit but its effect on civilisation has been anything but sweet. Facilitating the enslavement of millions and bringing forth the Industrial Revolution.
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    40 mins
  • Ep 3: Bitter
    May 4 2022
    Bitterness helps us avoid toxic foods. Yet in the case of chocolate, coffee, tea and pepper - many of our favourite foods are bitter. Our quest for these foods directly resulted in globalisation and even modern democracy.
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    45 mins

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What listeners say about How Taste Changed the World with Adam Liaw

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Thought provoking series.

Thanks to Adam and all involved with this production.
Loved every minute of this intelligent series.
Not only was the taste aspect great but also the research and history driving it interestingly forward. I even learned a thing or two along the way. Clear and precise narration as well as the music choices and sound effects made this an easy and enjoyable listen.

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5 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars

The Serial podcast for food.

A slew of tasteful remarks can be made about this podcast. Many more than could be said about this review anyway. No bad jokes aside, this was really good. I normally stick to the tried and tested blockbusters but so glad I gave this a go.
Each night at the dinner table after listening, the discussion became about the history of the world and how taste shaped that. Something I had just never even considered before. Very high production quality and writing, all superbly pulled together. When is season 2 ?

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Superb in every way

Such a spot-on perspective. So utterly essential listening. Do yourself a favour and catch the flavour of this yarn. It will change your relationship with food.

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4 people found this helpful

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A great read and a good listen

I really did enjoy this one. Lots of info, and as a bonus, fantastic background music. I reckon the music itself is worthy of a podcast. Whilst I am not a huge Adam fan, this one won me closer. Highly recommended. Let me know if the complete music sound track is available, please. Many cheers.

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4 people found this helpful

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A must if you're remotely interested in food

A must if you're remotely interested in food and why we like certain flavours and their combinations

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4 people found this helpful

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An enthralling listen (I devoured it)

This is a great podcast. Highly recommended for anyone interested in food and history. It's a very admirable attempt at a complete history of the world through the lens of one human sense.

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4 people found this helpful

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I thought I would not like this

Not more Adam Liaw! He is everywhere. I was wrong, this podcast is very very interesting.

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4 people found this helpful

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A Delectable Adventure into Taste!

Adam is a sound but entertaining host. He carries his enthusiasm through each story with calm and grace.

The introduction of experts and professionals was refreshingly edited and I felt it gave a good punch to the information which often falls on deaf ears from monotonous deliveries.

There is history, invention, surprise, and ultimately, a result that created food for thought which I understood. I hope more listeners will get a similar result, while feeling enjoyment through the whole series.

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4 people found this helpful

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Fascinating and insightful

Great little podcast that's both a history of humanity and their relationship to food. A little bit of science, a little bit of history, a little bit of sociology all mixed in to a well paced and delivered podcast. Highly recommended

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Fascinating, well produced series

Not just interesting if you have an interest in food, but also a great listen if you enjoy history.

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