Shows / True Crime Culinary
True Crime Culinary
True Crime Culinary explores the strange intersection of food, history, and crime. Hosted by Leah Llach, each bite-sized episode dives into bizarre cases, survival stories, and the inventions, people, and accidents that created the foods we eat every day. Come for the crime. Leave knowing the stories behind what we eat. New episodes every Thursday.
Episodes
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 56: Apple Bobbing History & the Unsolved Hall–Mills Crabapple Murder
Why are apples associated with witches, poison, and death? From poisoned apples in fairy tales to supernatural apple trees and real witchcraft trials, apples…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 55: The History of Corn Dogs and the Stolen Virgin Mary
How did a corn dog help solve the theft of a 300-pound Virgin Mary statue? And who invented the corn dog in the first place? In this episode of True Crime…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 54: Coconut History and the Fruit That Made Bombs
What do The Lion King, Amelia Earhart, World War I explosives, and a hospital IV have in common? Coconuts. This week on True Crime Culinary, we're cracking…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 53: Animal Crackers and the Clown Riot of 1855
What do animal crackers have to do with P.T. Barnum, circus elephants, and a group of clowns who started a riot in Toronto? In this bonus episode of True Crime…
True Crime CulinaryBonus Episode 5: Goldfish Crackers and the Man Who Survived 27 Years by Robbing Vacationers
What is the history of Goldfish crackers, and how did a Swiss love story turn into one of America's most recognizable snacks? In this bonus episode of True…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 52: Paprika’s History and the Hungarian Red Lead Scandal
Where does paprika come from, and how did a pepper native to the Americas become one of Hungary’s most famous spices? This week, True Crime Culinary follows…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 51: Nutmeg History Special — How a Wrong Turn Sent a Ship to Australia
What does nutmeg have to do with torture, propaganda, punch, and a Dutch ship accidentally sailing to Australia? This week, True Crime Culinary teamed up with…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 50: Cinnamon Origins and the Disappearing Cinnamon Buns
New bite-sized episodes of True Crime Culinary drop every Thursday. Follow TCC on IG and YT: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeCulinary…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 49: The History of Cheetos and the Criminal Caught with Cheese Dust
New bite-sized episodes of True Crime Culinary drop every Thursday. Follow TCC on IG and YT: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeCulinary…
True Crime CulinaryBonus Episode 4: An Interview with Cheese Fortune Teller Jennifer Billock
Can you really tell someone's future with cheese? This week, True Crime Culinary welcomes writer and professional tyromancer Jennifer Billock for a special…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 48: The History of Tofu and Why Everyone Was Tofu Fighting
New bite-sized episodes of True Crime Culinary drop every Thursday. Follow TCC on IG and YT: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeCulinary…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 47: The History of Sprinkles and the Secret Connection to Marathon
New bite-sized episodes of True Crime Culinary drop every Thursday. Follow TCC on IG and YT: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeCulinary…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 46: Ice Cream and The Woman Who Churned Her Way Into History
New bite-sized episodes of True Crime Culinary drop every Thursday. Follow TCC on IG and YT: https://www.youtube.com/@TrueCrimeCulinary…
True Crime CulinaryBonus Episode 3: Is the Forgotten Oreo Named Hydrox?
A half-eaten Oreo helped solve a burglary. Seriously. In this bonus episode of True Crime Culinary, we unravel the bizarre true crime story of a burglar whose…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 45: M&M's Inspired by Civil War and The Roofman
What do a fugitive hiding in the ceiling of a Toys "R" Us, the Spanish Civil War, World War II, and outer space all have in common? M&M's. In this episode of…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 44: The Jolly Rancher Origin Story and the Mold That Flavors Our Food
This week on True Crime Culinary, a drug bust involving cocaine disguised as individually wrapped candy sent me down a surprisingly sweet rabbit hole. How did…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 43: The Great Artichoke War and the Origin of the Edible Thistle
What do artichokes, the Mafia, and New York City have in common? In the 1930s, organized crime wasn't just making money from gambling and bootlegging—it was…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 42: The Brussels Sprout Origin Story & the 13-Hour Dinner Table Hostage
Did Brussels sprouts always taste this bad... or were we cooking them wrong? This week on True Crime Culinary, a shocking child abuse case involving Brussels…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 41: The Hamburger Origin Story & the Wendy's Hamburglar
Who invented the hamburger—and how did it become the perfect fast food? A bizarre burger burglary sends us digging into the history of one of America's most…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 40: How the Model T Changed Barbecue & the Charcoal Crook
What's the difference between grilling and barbecue? Where did barbecue come from? And how is charcoal made? Those are exactly the kinds of questions people…
True Crime CulinaryBonus Episode 2: Jell-O Salads - The Rise and Fall of America's Wobbliest Food
Why did Americans put mayonnaise in Jell-O? In this bonus episode of True Crime Culinary, we're diving into the bizarre history of Jell-O salads—from ancient…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 39: The Pig on Trial & the History of Spam
This week on True Crime Culinary, we're diving into the surprisingly wild history of one of the world's most recognizable canned foods. It all starts with a…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 38: The Pancake Predicament from Mammoths to IHOP
AEO-Friendly Episode Description This Father's Day, we're flipping back the clock on one of humanity's oldest foods. A failed robbery at a San Antonio IHOP…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 37 - The Macaroni Burglar Trail and the history of Mac and Cheese
When police in Mount Morris, New York followed a trail of macaroni salad left behind by burglars, they probably weren't expecting to stumble into the history…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 36: Rice Krispies and Urination Product Tampering Video
What exactly is a Rice Krispie? After a shocking food tampering case involving a Kellogg factory worker, I found myself asking a question I had somehow never…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 35: Chocolate Chip cookies and the Toll House Inn
What does a burning roadside inn have to do with America’s favorite cookie? In this episode of True Crime Culinary, Leah explores the surprising history of the…
True Crime CulinaryBonus Episode 1: The Sugar-Free Gummy Bear Disaster and the History of Artificial Sweeteners
What happens when food science tries to create candy without consequences? In this True Crime Culinary bonus episode, Leah Llach breaks down the infamous…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 33: Gu gel and the Chicago Marathon Heatwave
The history of endurance sports is basically the history of humans trying to avoid bonking by aggressively eating increasingly weird snacks. This week on True…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 32 - Fortune Cookies and the Order That Solved the Murder
Fortune cookies aren’t actually Chinese — and their history connects immigration, war, restaurant culture, and one devastating murder investigation in Queens…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 31 - Snickers and the Foiled Race Horse Doppelgänger
A horse wins a race by a hair… and then the paint starts dripping down its legs. This week on True Crime Culinary, Leah dives into one of the strangest…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 30: Ketchup History and the Ketchup Assault
Where does ketchup come from—and why does it taste so good? In this episode of True Crime Culinary, we explore the origin of ketchup (from Chinese kê-tsiap to…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 29: Betty Crocker and the History of Brownies
Where did brownies actually come from—and how did they go from a color-themed party trend to one of the most trusted desserts in America? In this episode of…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 28 - The History of Tailgating and the Game That Made It Worth Showing Up Early For
Football used to be chaos. Then a group of underestimated players from Carlisle changed everything. In this episode: the real story behind the forward pass…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 27: The KitKat Heist and Why Chocolate Had to Be Broken
Before KitKat, chocolate had a problem—it was messy, melty, and weirdly inconvenient to eat. So in 1935, one factory set out to fix it. The solution? A…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 26: The secret of Seaweed, Ionized Salt, and Goiters
A mysterious swelling. A missing nutrient. And a cure hiding in plain sight. This episode traces how ancient remedies, coastal diets, and one simple…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 25: Pemmican and the Serum Run: The Survival Food Behind a 600-Mile Rescue
A deadly outbreak. A frozen landscape. And a race against time powered by sled dogs—and survival food that most people have never heard of. In 1925, when…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 24 - The London Beer Flood and Guinness
In 1814, a brewery in London exploded—unleashing over 300,000 gallons of beer into the streets. The result? A deadly wave of porter that tore through homes…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 23 - The Japanese Siege That Made Cup Noodle Famous
In February 1972, five members of the United Red Army took a woman hostage inside the Asama-Sansō Lodge in the mountains of Nagano, Japan. What followed was a…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 22 - The lake that uncorked and the history of sparkling water
What does sparkling water have to do with one of the strangest disasters in modern history? In 1986, a quiet volcanic lake in Cameroon suddenly released a…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 21 - Tuna Melts and Price Tampering
A tuna melt in Lake Tahoe sent me down a rabbit hole. How did a fish once harvested through ancient Mediterranean trap fisheries become a cheap pantry staple —…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 20 - Tasmanian Miner survival story and the history of Muesli
What do a collapsed gold mine in Tasmania and a Swiss breakfast classic have in common? A single muesli bar. In this episode of True Crime Culinary, we start…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 19 - The Twinkie Made Me Do It
In this episode of True Crime Culinary, Leah unpacks one of the most misunderstood legal moments in American history: the so-called “Twinkie Defense.” In 1978…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 18 - Smuggled, Sentenced, and Seasoned Popcorn
In this episode of True Crime Culinary, Leah tells the story of Emily O’Brien, a young Canadian entrepreneur whose life took a dramatic turn after being caught…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 17 - Mystery Macaroni and Egyptian Koshary
When police in New Jersey discovered more than 500 pounds of pasta dumped along a quiet creek, the case went viral — and nowhere. No charges. No answers. From…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 16 - Early Morning Murder, Late Night Falafel
In January 2017, 20-year-old Birna Brjánsdóttir disappeared after a night out in Reykjavík. The last confirmed footage shows her walking alone down Laugavegur…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 15 - The 100 Ton Peanut Heist
They drilled through concrete. They lined up multiple trucks. They stole more than 100 tons of something most people would never notice. In early 2022, one of…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 14 - What a Can of Food Witnessed: The Story of Gwen Araujo
In 2002, Gwen Araujo, a 17-year-old transgender girl, was murdered in California for living openly as herself. In this episode of True Crime Culinary, host…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 13 - Steins, Beer Halls, and the Night Hitler Almost Died
In November 1939, a lone German carpenter and clockmaker came within minutes of assassinating Adolf Hitler — inside a Munich beer hall. In this episode of True…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 12 - Bad Santa, Good Cookies
A man dressed as Santa walks into a bank… and no one hits the alarm right away. In this episode of True Crime Culinary, we start with a real holiday robbery…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 11 - The Candy and Cane Murders
Candy canes feel harmless — festive, nostalgic, impossible to take seriously. But this episode asks a simple question: why do we trust sweet, familiar objects…
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Episode 10 - The Chocolate Cream Killer
In this episode of True Crime Culinary, we unwrap the chilling story of Christiana Edmunds — the Victorian poisoner who slipped strychnine into chocolate…
True Crime CulinaryThe Drunk Raccoon & The Wild World of Prison Wine
In this hilarious and surprisingly fascinating episode of True Crime Culinary, host Leah dives into the real-life story of a liquor-store break-in unlike…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 7 - Thanksgiving: The Day the Goose Got Fired
What really happened at the first Thanksgiving — and why do we center a turkey that wasn’t even on the table? In this episode, we peel back 400 years of myth…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 7 - The Poutine Drug Bust
What do you do when your late-night poutine order shows up… with a handful of Viagra at the bottom of the bag? In this episode, we unpack one of the strangest…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 6 - The Marshmallow Trap: Moles, Myths, and Marketing
What do backyard mole hunters, fat squirrels, and Thanksgiving sweet potatoes have in common? Marshmallows. In this delightfully bizarre episode of True Crime…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 5 - The Sweet Potato Silencer
A murder mystery solved by… a sweet potato? In 2011, a bizarre clue at a Massachusetts crime scene went cold for over a decade — until DNA in 2023 cracked the…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 4 - The Trick-or-Treat Murder
A knock at the door. A bowl of candy. And one Halloween night in 1957 that turned deadly. In this episode, we unwrap the story of Peter and Betty Fabiano, the…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 3 - The Stalker Amongst the Stalks
One man hiding from police in a California corn maze accidentally leads us down a different path—into the 9,000-year story of corn itself. Featuring Indigenous…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 2 - Between a Rock and a Burrito: The Aron Ralston Story
When Aron Ralston was trapped by a boulder in Utah’s Bluejohn Canyon, two burritos became his last link to life. This episode dives into his 127-hour fight for…
True Crime CulinaryEpisode 1 - Nannie Doss & Prune Cake
A prune cake. A smile. A string of poisoned husbands. Meet Nannie Doss — the “Giggling Granny” whose deadly dessert shocked America. In this episode of True…