Up For Discussion

Munch Madness is our annual Food Bracket Tournament that pits user-nominated foods against each other, round after round, in a single elimination bracket-style tournament, to crown the Best Food Of The Year. For this instalment, Tom Zalatnai calls up Julian McKenzie (@jkamckenzie) and Matt Cole (@mc_dj_mc) to hear their thoughts on our third and fourth match ups! Julian explains bracket tournaments to us a bit, as the resident Sports Guy, and we break down how the voting process works. Also, what the heck even is a dumpling?? Matt breaks down the difference between texture and viscosity! Then, Tom and Matt reflect on the best kinds of cheese to put in a sandwich with peanut butter. You know, that absolutely normal pairing. Who do you think deserves to win these matchups? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! You can follow

Tom Zalatnai and Matt Cole break down the East Coast Wild Card Play-In Round of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions Season 2, giving their takes on what they'd have done with the Randomizer's challenges, who they thought should win each round, and which celebrity chef Tom wants to be gently caressed by like a soft little chicken. Who do you think deserves to win these matchups? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! You can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Please support our Indiegogo campaign! igg.me/at/upfordnetwork Check out The Depot! www.depotmtl.org Resources for Allyship: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hp7nlP5UcH63FEl1kpPgxdO7Qw7iagcCTBfOPfPLuMg/edit?usp=sharing Episode Sponsors: Check out Alora Farenweh! www.alorafarenweh.com This episode is brought to you in part by Whisky Lane! www.whiskylane.

Munch Madness is our annual Food Bracket Tournament that pits user-nominated foods against each other, round after round, in a single elimination bracket-style tournament, to crown the Best Food Of The Year. For this instalment, Tom Zalatnai calls up Tuong La (@podcavern) and Giovanni Colantonio (@MarioPrime) to get their takes on who's best between Pasta and Bread & Rice and Burgers! Tom and Tuong talk about how Jousting is the perfect Socially Distanced Fighting Method, and Giovanni helps Tom conceptualize a new genre of podcast: the Do Crime podcast, and also slanders the Pope a little bit. Who do you think deserves to win these matchups? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! You can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Please support our Indiegogo campaign! igg.me/at/upfordnetwork Check out the Podcavern! www.

Tom Zalatnai and Matt Cole review the first episode of the second season of Tournament of Champions, Guy Fieri's massive cooking competition! First, we talk about the format, the challenge of the Randomizer, and the ways behind-the-scenes "food producers" figure out what to put in a mystery box on a competition show. Then, we break down the three rounds of this episode, sharing our thoughts on the competitors and their dishes, and giving our takes on the challenges ourselves. Also, Matt reveals his secret talent for interpreting judges' comments to determine the winner! What would you do if Guy Fieri asked you to make a shrimp brunch in a blender? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! You can follow Tom Zalatnai @tomzalatnai and Matt Cole @mc_dj_mc! Please support our Indiegogo campaign! igg.me/at/upfordnetwork Listen to

This week, Tom calls up Lily Bennett Scharf (@5ft25 on instagram) to talk about her love of ramen, her mission to find the best bowl in every city she goes to, and what makes noodle soup so comforting and great. Then, Tom and Matt (@mc_dj_mc) break down the 16 competitors in this year's Munch Madness tournament, including their seeding and the matchups for the first round! Do you have a favorite way to eat Ramen? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Please support our Indiegogo campaign! igg.me/at/upfordnetwork Go listen to Natural Toonie! @natural-toonie-podcast Check out The Depot! www.depotmtl.org Resources for Allyship: docs.google.com/document/d/1hp7nl…/edit?usp=sharing Episode Sponsors: Check out Alora Farenweh! www.alorafarenweh.com This episode is brough

This week, Tom called up Kendalyn Aldridge (@theonecountertop & @thegrowingdicehoard) to hear her story about using food to grow closer to a side of herself she felt disconnected from. Food can be such a beautiful tool for connecting us to family, geography, history, and so much more. Enjoy this conversation about the ways we use food to find ourselves! Do you have foods that help you feel connected to your heritage? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Please support our Indiegogo campaign! igg.me/at/upfordnetwork Go listen to Natural Toonie! https://soundcloud.com/natural-toonie-podcast Munch Madness 2021 Survey! https://forms.gle/ZVhZYZpfQXf8foxw6 Munch Madness 2020 Playlist! https://soundcloud.com/up-for-discussion-podcast/sets/munch-madness-2020 Check out T

We've got a lot of awesome food content lined up for you this Spring, so give this episode a listen for a run-down of all the rad stuff we've got planned! In this special bonus episode, Tom Zalatnai (@tomzalatnai) and Matt Cole (@mc_dj_mc) break down the competitors for this year's Food Network Tournament of Champions, make some predictions, and reveal their top picks for the remaining competitors. Then, they talk about the upcoming Munch Madness 2021 tournament! Support our Indiegogo campaign to help our network with some equipment upgrades and also to buy transcription software for our shows! igg.me/at/upfordnetwork Munch Madness 2021 Survey! forms.gle/ZVhZYZpfQXf8foxw6 Munch Madness 2020 Playlist! soundcloud.com/up-for-discussion-podcast/sets/munch-madness-2020 SUPPORT THE SHOW! patreon.com/upfordiscussion MERCH! www.teepublic.com/stores/up-for-di…sion?ref_id=2539 Our logo is by David Flamm! Check out his work (and buy something from his shop!) at www.davidflammart.com/ Our theme music is "It Takes A

This week, Tom called up JP Karwacki (@johnnycrust on Instagram) from Time Out Montreal to hear all about what his life has been like as a foodie in quarantine, to get some local restaurant recommendations, and, of course, to talk about everyone's favorite Polish dumpling, the Pierogi! JP even shares his grandma's recipe with us, then preaches the gospel of the glory of Hot Ham Water. Do you have a favorite way to eat your Pierogis? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Check out @nowhitesaviors on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/nowhitesaviors Go subscribe to Left Trigger Right Trigger! www.lefttriggerrighttrigger.com Munch Madness 2021 Survey! https://forms.gle/ZVhZYZpfQXf8foxw6 Munch Madness 2020 Playlist! https://soundcloud.com/up-for-discussion-podcast/se

This week, it's all about Cincinnati Chili, so Tom called up their favorite Porkopolitan, Kyle Harper (@kharpermusic) from Debate This! (@debatethiscast) Kyle gives Tom the breakdown of everything that goes into this so-called chili, the best ways to eat it, and figure out exactly what the heck you're supposed to call a person from Cincinnati! Do you have a favorite way to eat your Cincinnati Chili? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Check out the most recent episode of Debate This! https://www.debatethiscast.com/blog/2021/2/9/episode-73-abraham-lincolns-army-of-the-damned-ft-eric-silver Les Miserables Flavor Text! https://www.debatethiscast.com/blog/2020/12/8/flavor-text-les-misrables Munch Madness 2021 Survey! https://forms.gle/ZVhZYZpfQXf8foxw6 Munch Madness

This week, Tom calls up their high school buddy Nicholas Cole (@colescomfort on Instagram) for a great chat about growing up as foodies and choosing to take that more seriously during a pandemic, growing up in a household where food mattered, how to make vegetables more exciting, and how to challenge yourself to grow as a cook. Do you have advice for people looking to expand their home cooking skills? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Munch Madness 2021 Survey! https://forms.gle/ZVhZYZpfQXf8foxw6 Munch Madness 2020 Playlist! https://soundcloud.com/up-for-discussion-podcast/sets/munch-madness-2020 Check out Raven Trust at www.raventrust.com Support the Rad Child Podcast Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/radchildpodcast/rad-child-podcast-season-thr

This week, Tom calls up former host of the show Adrianne Schoen (@boxlessthoughts) to talk about all the awesome food she gets to eat now that she lives in Chicago! Chicago is a great food city worth checking out (during non-pandemic times) and we dive deep into the foods that made it famous: hot dogs, sandwiches, and, of course, pizza! We also dig into Chicago's working-class roots and the difference between Chi-Town and La Metropole. Do you have a favorite thing to eat in Chicago? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Munch Madness 2021 Survey! https://forms.gle/ZVhZYZpfQXf8foxw6 Munch Madness 2020 Playlist! https://soundcloud.com/up-for-discussion-podcast/sets/munch-madness-2020 Check out Raven Trust at www.raventrust.com Support the Rad Child Podcast Kickstar

This week, Tom calls up Liam Julien (@maritlage227) to talk about that glorious staple of Quebecois casse-croute cuisine, the Poutine! We get into the fundamentals of poutine, the joy of added toppings, and some of our favorite places to order from in Montreal and on the South Shore! Do you have a favorite kind of poutine? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Check out Liam's Twitch channel! twitch.tv/maritlage227 Check out Raven Trust at www.raventrust.com Support the Rad Child Podcast Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/radchildpodcast/rad-child-podcast-season-three Resources for Allyship: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hp7nlP5UcH63FEl1kpPgxdO7Qw7iagcCTBfOPfPLuMg/edit?usp=sharing This episode is brought to you in part by Whisky Lane! www.whi

This week, Tom calls up Giovanni Colantonio (@MarioPrime) to talk about the Afternoon Snack- they share some favorite cheap options, hacks to improve on the junk food you brought home from the bodega, and ask the ever-important question: Is Snack Meal?? And, introducing our new recurring segment, David's Dining Hall with David Hall! Do you have a favorite afternoon snack? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Listen to Left Trigger Right Trigger wherever you get your podcasts! http://www.lefttriggerrighttrigger.com/category/podcasts/ Check out Raven Trust at www.raventrust.com Support the Rad Child Podcast Kickstarter! https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/radchildpodcast/rad-child-podcast-season-three Resources for Allyship: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hp7

This week, Tom calls up award-winning singer-songwriter Loryn Taggart to talk about her all-time favorite Canadian Food, Nanaimo Bars! We also talk peameal bacon, hickory, and tire- not the rubber ones that live on cars, but the delicious winter treat! And, we get into our shared love of BBQ and our mutual Hungarian backgrounds, because chicken paprikash is delicious and it's never a good idea to smoke a watermelon with mesquite! Do you have a favorite Canadian food? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Find everything Loryn's doing on her website! https://www.loryntaggart.com/ Buy her music on BandCamp: https://loryntaggartmusic.bandcamp.com/ Give her your tasty streams on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2DwFvKJOTB8DNK7j0q3HaO Resources for Allyship: htt

This week, it's National Spaghetti Day, so today's episode is all about Spaghetti! Tom calls up podcaster & stand-up comedian Mike Carrozza (@mikecarrozza) to hear about his love of Pizza Hut and the deep intricacies of what makes Spaghetti amazing. We talk meat sauces, chicken wings, and the cardinal sin of cutting up your spaghetti noodles before eating them. TWIRL THEM ON YOUR DANG FORK, BUDDY. Do you have a favorite kind of spaghetti? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Follow us on Instagram @DownWithTalking and get a chance to win a $25 Doordash gift card! HOW TO MAKE LASAGNA: https://youtu.be/Osiql2-TwH4 Get Cherubic! http://www.mikecarrozza.com/cherubic-1 Listen to xBummerxBoysx: http://www.mikecarrozza.com/podcast-xbummerxboysx Keep an eye out for We Didn

This week, it's all about New Year's Food Traditions! What kind of foods do people love to pig out on at the turning of a year, and what do they symbolize? Tom calls up Andrew Henderson (@arhenderson) to hear about his family's tradition of eating pork chops & sauerkraut on New Year's Day, then breaks down a list of New Years Eve "Must-Haves"- all the things you'll find on Tom's dining table if you get invited over to ring in the new year together. Thanks so much for listening to Up For Discussion this year! Let's celebrate the end of 2020 together, and hope that 2021 is full of good things. Do you have a favorite new year's eve food tradition? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Check out Debate This! www.debatethiscast.com & twitch.tv/debatethiscast Resources f

This week, it's all about Fast Food- what makes it good, why we love it, and whether or not any of the stigma around it is even remotely justified (spoilers, it's not). First, Tom calls up Cath Gilbert, host of Fillorians United, to talk about growing up poor in the 90s, shamelessly loving McDonalds, the ins & outs of delivery french fries, and why it's so hard to get a good poutine delivered to your house. Then, Tom talks to Kevin Guo about growing up with food-positive parents in China, studying nutrition & diabetes, and how the different ways cultures view 'junk food' directly affect their nutritional value! Also: Tom ranks their Top 5 Fast Food Burgers! Do you have a favorite fast food place? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Fillorians United: https://open.

This week, to celebrate National Biscuits & Gravy Day, Tom calls up Matt Cole (@mc_dj_mc) to get a little history lesson (maybe also a geography lesson?) about southern cooking and what goes into the titular gravy! What makes a sausage gravy a uniquely beautiful partner for a flaky breakfast biscuit? How does someone even *make* gravy out of breakfast sausage? Is it, like, actually good, or just filling and satisfying? Matt challenges Tom to make Biscuits & Gravy before the second half of the show, and Tom challenges Matt to spend a little time cooking for himself as a self-care thing! We also talk Dippy Eggs, and what makes southern cooking the best cooking. Do you have a favorite way to eat biscuits & gravy? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. The Biscuit Recipe

This week, to celebrate Hanukkah, Tom calls up David Hall and Andy Sherman from Natural Toonie to get a lesson in all things oily and delicious. What makes a good latke? What kind of sauces are they served with? What are the best fillings & toppings for traditional Hanukkah donuts/sufganiyot? How do you microwave a latke without making it soggy? Also, we take a brief detour into the history of Montreal Steak Spice, whose creator, it turns out, was a close relative of Andy's! Do you have a favorite Hanukkah tradition? Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Follow Andy on Instagram @andyshermanart! Listen to Natural Toonie! https://soundcloud.com/natural-toonie-podcast Resources for Allyship: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1hp7nlP5UcH63FEl1kpPgxdO7Qw7iagcCTBfOPfPL

This week, to celebrate our 300th episode, we're talking Comfort Food, and bringing in the big guns. First, Tom calls up longtime friend of the show Julian McKenzie (@jkamckenzie) to reflect on this crazy five year journey and talk about his favorite comfort food, potato chips! He shares his top 5 chip list- a controversial list, to say the least! Then, a real blast from the past as original co-host of the show Simon Pelletier phones in to talk about 'delighting in the process' and the comfort we can find from putting time and effort into something, including, but not limited to, homemade bread! Did we miss something that you think absolutely should've been mentioned? You can join the conversation by supporting us on Patreon at patreon.com/upfordiscussion or by hitting us up on Twitter and Instagram @DownWithTalking! And, you can follow Tom Zalatnai everywhere @tomzalatnai. Check out everything Julian's up to by following him on twitter @jkamckenzie, and go listen to The Scrum Podcast! https://linktr.ee/the