Foodie Pharmacology Podcast

What if the key to reducing food waste, strengthening community, and reconnecting with our food systems is already in your kitchen?

In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Julia Skinner, food writer, fermentation expert, and founder of the Culinary Curiosity School, to explore the practice of food preserving. From fermentation to freezing, Julia shares how preserving is not just a set of techniques but a way of thinking about food with intention and creativity.

They discuss her upcoming book, Essential Food Preserving, which takes an ingredient-first approach. Instead of rigid recipes, it asks a simple question: what can you do with what you have right now? That mindset opens the door to everything from fruit leathers and infused vinegars to fermented drinks and pantry staples built from scraps.

They also explore the deeper reasons preserving matters. These practices are rooted in food security, seasonality, and survival. Today, they offer a powerful way to reduce waste and reconnect with the sources of our food. Fermentation, in particular, plays an important role in building community. Sharing techniques, recipes, and traditions creates meaningful connections around food.

If you’ve ever felt intimidated by preserving, this episode offers an approachable place to begin. Start small, stay curious, and focus on practice rather than perfection. Essential Food Preserving will be released on May 19, 2026, and is available now for pre-orders!

Want to learn more? Enter Code “QUAVE” for a 30% discount to a class offered through the Culinary Curiosity School.

Flowers may seem delicate, but they have transformed the planet! In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. David George Haskell, author of the new book How Flowers Made Our World, about the revolutionary rise of flowering plants. They discuss how grasses helped shape human evolution as “grass apes,” why orchids rely on intimate fungal partnerships, and how floral chemistry communicates with pollinators through scent and even electrical fields! From the endosperm that feeds much of humanity to the cultural and aesthetic power of flowers, this conversation examines how flowering plants engineered ecosystems, nourished civilizations, and continue to shape our future. How Flowers Made our World: The Story of Nature’s Revolutionaries is available for pre-order now! Learn more at https://dghaskell.com/

What if the future of antimicrobial discovery lies buried in medieval manuscripts? In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with microbiologist Dr. Freya Harrison of the University of Warwick about the emerging field of “Ancient-biotics”. They examine how early medieval remedies such as Bald’s eyesalve are being reconstructed and tested against modern antibiotic-resistant biofilms. Dr. Harrison explains how her lab builds infection models that mimic the human body, why biofilms are so difficult to treat, and how combinations of natural products like honey and vinegar may hold clues to new antimicrobial strategies. This conversation bridges microbiology, Medieval texts, and pharmacology showcasing how historical knowledge can still inform modern medicine.

Inflammation is essential for healing, but when it becomes chronic, it can quietly drive joint pain, blood sugar imbalance, autoimmune conditions, and long-term disease. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave speaks with Dr. Josh Redd, founder of RedRiver Health and Wellness and author of The 30-Day Inflammatory Reset, about the root causes of chronic inflammation. They discuss how ultra-processed diets, environmental exposures, stress, hormonal imbalance, and even trauma contribute to inflammatory load, and what practical steps individuals can take to support immune balance through nutrition and lifestyle change. Learn more about Josh’s work at DrJoshRedd.com

Sake sits at the intersection of fermentation science, ritual, and food culture. In this episode of Foodie Pharmacology, Dr. Cassandra Quave is joined by Dr. Eric C. Rath, professor of history at the University of Kansas and author of Kanpai: The History of Sake. Together, they explore what sake really is, how fermentation with koji mold transforms rice into alcohol, and why sake has played such a central role in Japanese ritual, everyday life, and food culture. The conversation also traces the history of home brewing, the rise of izakaya gastropubs, and the emergence of American sake as both adaptation and innovation.