Hey, this is audio producer Jesse Dukes.

From time to time, the Curious City team takes a one or two week break from production

in order to focus on planning and accommodate vacations.

And when we do that, we like to put something in our podcast feed for you to enjoy.

Sometimes an outtake from an interview, sometimes an older rerun you may not have heard.

This week we're trying something different.

We're curating one of our favorite WBEZ-produced podcasts, Nerdette.

If you don't know Nerdette, it's co-hosted by WBeeZ's Greta Johnson and Tricia Bobita.

They interview nerds of many stripes, doctors, researchers, astronauts, authors, sci-fi actors,

and they talk to people about their obsessions.

So we're just going to play you one of our favorite episodes.

It features comedian and writer John Hodgman in the story of Mallort,

the famous or infamous bitter cordial made here in Chicago.

So without further ado, here's Nerdette.

I don't want to drink any.

Well, I'm just going to keep it handy just in case.

Well, I'll just have a little.

From WBEZ Chicago, this is Nerdette.

I am Greta Johnson.

And I'm Trisha Bobita.

And Trisha, I'm a little worried about the quality of your voice this morning.

How you doing, buddy?

...