We talk with Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Michael Moss about why foods such as Cheetos and Oreos can be more addictive than cigarettes. Plus we explore the history of West African cookbooks, J. Kenji López-Alt teaches us different ways to use alcohol in the kitchen, and we learn to make Glazed Sour Cream and Brown Sugar Bundt Cake.

This episode is brought to you by Sleep Number.

Questions in this episode:

"I want to make a recipe for yeasted waffles, but it calls for dry yeast––specifically not instant. I can only find instant dry yeast at the store. How do I use it in this recipe?"

"There's this dark chocolate bar that I tried years ago and wasn't so fond of. I tried it again when I made a recipe that called for a lot of chocolate. The next day, I tasted the leftover melted chocolate that had hardened and thought it tasted much better than the original bar. Do you know why that might be?"

"What's the difference between a professional chef and a home cook? Are there things the average home cook can do to be more like a professional?"

"I was given a cured leg of ham recently. I find it really hard to get thin, prosciutto-like slices without investing in a fancy deli slicer. What's the best way to get the meat off the bone?"

"When is the right time to use a blender versus a food processor?"