What happened to the Instant Pot? It's come off its highs and changed dramatically. Its story is not one of overproduction or the whims of popularity. It's a more complicated story that involves investment finance and private equity.

Join us, Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, authors of four Instant Pot books, including THE INSTANT POT BIBLE. We want to talk about what happened to this favorite kitchen appliance. Plus, a one-minute cooking tip on vinegar. And our favorites this week: head-on shrimp and pickled plums!

[01:07] Our one-minute cooking tip: Be forewarned that there's been a big change in distilled white vinegar.

[03:02] The rise and fall of the Instant Pot: its start, its wild popularity, and its move into private equity firms with all the do in their vulture capitalism.

[27:10] What’s making us happy in food this week: head-on shrimp and pickled plums!

We've learned a lot after writing and publishing after thirty-seven cookbooks. We'd love to share with you those lessons.

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough. We've actually written forty cookbooks, including two knitting books by Bruce and a memoir by Mark. We've been around the block! We'd love to tell you what we've learned over this long publishing career.

We've also got a one-minute cooking tip. And we're really excited about a specific type of melon and Mark's really excited about a specific way to cook goat.

If you'd like to get a copy of our latest cookbook, COLD CANNING, please check it out at this link right here.

Here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK:

[01:22] Our one-minute cooking tip: Store garlic at room temperature

[03:27] What have we learned after writing and publishing thirty-seven cookbooks.

[23:27] What’s making us happy in food this week? Melons and goat!

Nostalgia is such a big part of food trends. It shows up in dining, cooking, cookbooks, food writing, even food packaging. Think of that old-fashioned truck on the Peach Truck boxes!

Why is nostalgia such a big part of food trends, dining options, and even flash-popular things in North American cooking? Let's talk about the part of nostalgia in both our career and even in the books we've written.

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, authors of thirty-seven cookbooks. Our latest is COLD CANNING: small-batch preserving without the need of a steam or pressure canner. If you'd like to see that book, check out this link right here.

Here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK:

[01:14] Our one-minute cooking tip: Put your small children and pets out of the kitchen when you cook.

[02:40] What's with so much nostalgia in food, dining, and cooking trends?

[26:38] What’s making us happy in food this week: steamed Chinese riblets!

Burgers! What are they without their toppings? Let's talk about the most popular trends for burger toppings in 2025!

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, veteran cookbook authors of thirty-seven cookbooks (plus Bruce's knitting books and Mark's memoir!).

We're going to get Bruce's honest reactions to the most popular burger topping trends for 2025. Plus, we've got a one-minute cooking tip for better drinks this summer. And all about sour cherry jam and home-grown currants.

If you'd like to get a copy of our newest cookbook, COLD CANNING, please check it out at this link right here.

Here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK:

[01:20] Our one-minute cooking tip: Refresh the ice in your ice maker.

[03:20] What are the most popular burger toppings for 2025? Mark lists them for Bruce to see his reaction!

[18:40] What’s making us happy in food this week? Sour cherry jam and home-grown currants!

We all love ice cream. As our photographer, Eric Medsker, says: "Even bad ice cream is good ice cream." It's hard to argue with that!

What are the trends for ice cream in the summer of 2025. We've done the research and have the answers. Some of them may surprise you! Not only about flavors but even about how ice cream is sold in North America.

Plus, we've got a one-minute cooking tip about cooking together. And we'll tell you what's making us happy in food this week.

If you'd like to check out our latest cookbook, please find COLD CANNING at this link!

Otherwise, here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK:

[01:20] Our one-minute cooking tip: Buy a second cutting board if you’re cooking with someone else.

[03:04] What are the trends for ice cream in the summer of 2025?

[19:45] What’s making us happy in food this week? Homemade kimchi and smash burgers!

Side quests. A term from gaming but now a part of cultural moment. Everyone has a side quest, a way to find and fulfill their passions, even as they do whatever they do to pay the bills.

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, veteran cookbook authors of over three dozen cookbooks. We've each found this career as a side quest that became our main quest.

We've also got a one-minute cooking tip. And we'll tell you what's making us happy in food this week!

Here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK:

[01:10] Our one-minute cooking tip: Microwave lemons and limes for a few seconds before juicing them.

[02:46] Side quests. What are they? Why are they important? How has our career developed out of our side quests? And what are our current side quests?

[25:02] What’s making us happy in food this week? Dried mung bean noodles for Bruce and vegan mozzarella from Three Girls Vegan Creamery in Guilford, Connecticut for Mark.

No doubt, the internet is being flooded with AI recipes. In fact, even unscrupulous publishing is being flooded by these generated recipes as small, independent publishers pop up who take advantage of the "free" content to package it as a book.

But there's some hope. AI recipes aren't all bad. And there are ways to identify them before you caught in the trap of making, oh, lemon meringue trout pie.

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, veteran cookbook authors who've written over three dozen cookbooks and who've been around the block several times already with AI content. We'll tell you how to spot an AI recipe, how to use AI to help in the kitchen, and what the dangers of AI recipes are.

We've also got a one-minute cooking tip about a handy kitchen appliance. And we'll tell you what's making us happy in food this week.

Here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK:

[01:05] Our one-minute cooking tip: use a stick blender!

[03:11] How to spot, use, and stay away from AI-generated recipes.

[29:01] What’s making us happy in food this week: curried chili crisp and potato salad!

What happens when you don't have on hand what a recipe requires?

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, veteran cookbook authors of over three dozen cookbooks (not counting the ones we ghostwrote for celebs). This podcast is part of food and cooking passion.

We've got a one-minute cooking tip about getting more flavor in your food. We're also talking about various easy food substitutions. And we'll tell you what's making us happy in food this week.

Our latest cookbook is COLD CANNING: small-batch preserving without any pressure or steam canner. You can check it out at this link.

Here are the segments for this episode of COOKING WITH BRUCE & MARK.

[01:23] Our one-minute cooking tip: substitute other liquids for water in many boiled or braised dishes.

[03:58] Food substitutions: easy swaps to make sure you can create a recipe.

[22:26] What’s making us happy in food this week? Knackwurst and fresh nectarines!