What are the top chain restaurants in the United States? Have we been to them? What do we think about them? You might be surprised by how many we have (or haven't!) been to.

We've also got a one-minute cooking tip about better batters for pancakes or cakes. And we're very happy about pork belly this week.

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, authors of over three dozen cookbooks. Our latest is COLD CANNING: small batch preserving and canning without the need of any canner at all. If you'd like to check it out, please find it at this link.

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

[01:07] Our one-minute cooking tip: Never overmix a batter!

[03:25] The top fifteen chain restaurants in the United States . . . and what we think about them

[28:48] What’s making us happy in food this week? Pork belly two ways!

Chaos cooking. A new trend. Well, sort of new. About two years old at this point, but it's found it's way into restaurants across the country. What started as a "throw it from the pantry into a pot" technique has morphed into the new version of culinary fusion.

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, authors of more than three dozen cookbooks, including our latest: COLD CANNING, a guide to turning small batches of fresh produce into jams, chutneys, conserves, sauces, chili crisps, dessert toppings, and more, without a steam- or pressure-canner in sight.

We have lived through the ages of fusion cuisine and are really intrigued by this new take. It's sloppier and messier, but it's also sort of fun. Plus, we've got a one-minute cooking tip about how to cook faster. 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:

[01:12] Our one-minute cooking tip. Smaller things cook faster!

[04:41] Chaos cooking: what is it, how does it work, and how have you already had an example of it without necessarily knowing it?

[23:10] What’s making us happy in food this week: fresh New England corn on the cob!

Fiber-maxxing. It's the latest social-media craze among food and fitness influencers. What is it? Why is it absurd? But also, why does it touch on something very important?

We're Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough, authors of over three dozen cookbooks (plus Bruce's knitting books and Mark's memoir). Food and cooking are our passions. We're so happy to be able to share that with you.

If you'd like to see our latest cookbook, COLD CANNING, please check it out at this link.

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

[01:19] Our one-minute cooking tip: how to make better chimichurri!

[03:33] The latest social-media craze: fiber-maxxing. What is it? And why is fiber important?

[17:55] What’s making us happy in food this week? Summer corn and Bruce's wild take on chili crisp.