This week on Cooking Issues, Dave Arnold is joined by Rich Shih (Koji Alchemy) and Jennifer Rothman (Yellow Farmhouse).

The crew dives deep into KojiCon 2025, the virtual conference celebrating all things koji, fermentation, and mold-based magic. Rich and Jennifer break down what attendees can expect, from global experts sharing techniques to the vibrant Discord community exchanging ideas.

Other key topics:

• Fish Aging with Mold – Dave unpacks the Papa Shell YouTube videos and the use of Mucor flavus for dry-aging fish, questioning technique, contamination risks, and whether it’s all just a long play for funky seafood.

• Meat-Shaped Stone Obsession – The Taipei National Museum’s famous Tong Po pork-shaped rock sparks a wild discussion on turning art into food, recursive meat shaping, and a potential Instagram project that may never happen.

• Avocado Sorbet Trials – Quinn spins a Ninja Creami batch and debates if adding buckwheat honey would be culinary brilliance or a disaster in the making.

• Plastic Wrap Deep Dive – Dave lays out the case against PVC-based cling film, explains why commercial kitchens still swear by it, and asks the ultimate question: Where’s the industrial-sized polyethylene wrap?

• Rodent Tasting Notes – From capybara to nutria to the theoretical culinary potential of vole, the crew debates which critters are underrated on the dining table.

• Koji in Home Ec? – Jennifer shares insights from Yellow Farmhouse’s work in food education, shifting high school curriculums from standard home economics (or Family and Consumer Sciences) to a deeper understanding of the food system.

Plus, Dave rants about poorly executed microbiology in YouTube cooking experiments, breaks down the risks of flavor scalping, and issues a passionate plea for visiting museums while traveling—because yes, the Taipei National Museum is worth skipping a meal for.

All that and more, this week on Cooking Issues!

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This week on Cooking Issues, Dave Arnold and the crew discuss the ongoing egg shortage, rising prices, and how it’s affecting both consumers and businesses.

On the cocktail front, Dave breaks down the egg white cocktail debate—whether shaking before or after dilution creates the best texture. He also discusses clarifying ginger and galangal in non-alcoholic drinks, confirming that full clarification removes their signature burn.

Other key topics:

• LA Pop-Up at Night on Earth – A recap of the drinks served and the custom Spinsall rotor necklace.

• Beef Heart Preparation – Methods for tartare and searing.

• KFC’s Secret Recipe – Insights into the history of pressure fryers and spice blends.

• Crescent Duck Farm Avian Flu Crisis – A mass culling that could impact poultry prices.

• Skate Wings vs. Scallops – Addressing the myth and best cooking techniques.

• Belgian Fries – Why they outperform American fries.

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Today on Cooking Issues, Dave chats with Alice Jun and John Lim of Hana Makgeolli about the art of Korean rice wine, traditional fermentation techniques, and the role of nuruk. Plus, the team dives into NYC’s food scene, butter beans, and listener questions on brewing, koji, and fermentation fails.

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