A Taste of the Past

Linda interviews author Howie Southworth about his new book,  Hemingway’s Spanish Table .   Part travelogue, part cookbook, this compelling culinary journey traces Hemingway’s travels through the provinces of Spain he visited and the foods he ate.  Howie Southworth presents the allure of the culture through the culinary history and flavors of the carefully curated rec...

Today, macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, a staple of weeknight dinners, family gatherings, and Soul Food restaurants. Humble though the dish may seem, culinary historian Karima Moyer-Nocchi traces its history to Ancient Romans, Renaissance cardinals and popes and Thomas Jefferson’s kitchens from where it became an American tradition. See Privacy Policy at https:...

Marion Nestle, America’s preeminent nutrition and food activist joins Linda to discuss her new book,  What to Eat Now ,  a rewrite of her 2006 groundbreaking book,  What to Eat . In those twenty years food in America has undergone a radical change. Ultra-processed foods dominate the supermarket shelves, corporate control dictates product dominance as well as food policy, and online...

Katie Parla is a Rome-based food and beverage writer, cookbook author, and culinary guide. She is known for her expertise on Italian food culture, having written or edited over 35 books. In her new book Katie has gone  even deeper into the history and evolution of the food culture from ancient times through post-war periods to tell the story of how Romans ha...

In this episode Linda talks with Lucinda Scala Quinn about the history of immigrant Italian women who came to America between 1880 and 1924, fleeing the poverty of their southern Italian homes. They cooked the food they knew, often substituting ingredients and embellishing recipes with the new found abundance of foods in America. These recipes represented their kitchens and evoked the flavors of t...

Nigerian food writer and cookbook author Ozoz Sokoh describes the historical foodways and evolution of the cuisine of Nigeria and its regions. From her new book, CHOP CHOP:: Cooking the Food of Nigeria, Ozoz shares descriptions and background of many of the spices, ingredient combinations, and recipes of regional classics and contemporary dishes which have evolved over time. From indigenous nuts,...

Monasteries, temples, mosques, and synagogues around the world preserve not only the world’s religions, but also cultural and culinary traditions, And those who cook in the kitchens of those sacred places—the sacred kitchens-- are the keepers of the flame, if you will, preserving the culinary heritage by cooking the traditional recipes and foods from their respective places. And they are culinary...

Peruvian gastronomy is one of the most diverse cuisines in the world, consisting of an extensive variety of distinctive dishes characteristic of each city in the country, stemming from the bio diversity of their agriculture. Robert Bradley , author of Eating Peru , talks about the history of the cuisine. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support A Taste of t...

From growing up in a Kibbutz, to a life in New York City where her work sits at the intersection of food, culture, community building, and art, landing her in a profile article in Vogue, Naama Shefi is a leader in promoting the foods of Israel and archiving the recipes of Jewish communities around the world. On this episode, we speak with Naama about her many projects, including the newest: a beau...

Drawing on Slow Food's Ark of Taste , a list of endangered foods throughout the world, culinary historian Sarah Lohman decided to look closer at the American local culinary traditions and rare, cherished foods that are in peril of becoming lost. She shares the stories of her travels and the people who work with these foods in her new book, Endangered Eating , and talks about them on this episode o...

Based on years of observation, ethnographic fieldwork, and countless shared meals, mother and son Merry White and Ben Wurgaft explore how our foods reach our plates and how every bite is part of a complex web of social meaning and value. From the Venetian spice trade to the Columbian Exchange, from Roman garum to Vietnamese nớc chấm, from the origins of agriculture to contemporary debates over cul...

Fasting from food is a controversial, dangerous, and yet utterly normal human practice. Christine Baumgarthuber discusses our fascination with restrictive eating in cultural history from her new book, Why Fast? If fasting offers few health benefits, why do people fast? Why have we always fasted? Does fasting speak to something deep and immutable within us? Why are our bodies so well adapted to int...

Lois Ellen Frank , Native foods historian, culinary anthropologist, and James Beard award winning cookbook author, joins Linda to talk about Native American foodways. She describes her teachings to Native American communities on how to "re-indigenize" their diets through the use of more plant based foods for a healthier lifestyle. Learning the ancestral techniques of gardening and cooking helps le...

What makes a national dish, and who decides? Food writer Anya Von Bremzen dives into the questions as she journeys to the heart of six of the world's most storied food traditions in search of how cuisine became connected to place and identity. It's all from her new book, " National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History and the Meaning of Home ." Heritage Radio Network is a listener sup...

Burger Scholar George Motz has spent decades researching, writing about, cooking, and eating America's favorite food: Hamburgers. His documentary film, Hamburger America , was recognized by the US National Archives as an integral part of American food history. On this episode, he shares the history of the burger and its variations across the country. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported...

Peanuts have a long history tied to indigenous South American people, early traders,and slavery. It was African slaves who brought the peanut to Virginia and planted and harvested the first crop. Some of those early harvesting techniques are now being preserved by a 4th generation peanut farmer and a 3rd generation peanut company . We learn how on this episode about peanuts. Heritage Radio Network...

Restaurants come and go, but chefs move on because it’s their career, their art, and, hopefully, their passion. But what are the secrets that lead to success? Tools of the trade—the craft-- are often not taught in classroom along with the important techniques and fundamentals. Aspiring young cooks can learn so much more by working with and listening to seasoned chefs. Shari Bayer , a fellow podcas...

Cow’s milk in fluid drinking form was not introduced in America until the 17th century, and quickly gained popularity. Before long it was promoted as a science-backed dietary necessity even though a large portion of the population was lactose intolerant and could not digest it. Despite this, culinary historian and author Anne Mendelson chronicles the story of milk and unravels the myths and miscon...

Many of the foods brought by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe to New York have become some of the most iconic foods associated with New York City. Their popularity spread across the country and are often referred to as New York food. Author June Hersh joins Linda to discuss the history of many of these specialties which she has written about in her book, Iconic New York Jewish Food . Heritage...

Italy is a land of ancient cultures, the fibers of which are woven through its everyday modern culture. Nowhere is this more noticeable than on the many islands which dot the Mediterranean waters of its coastline. These islands were battlegrounds and places of refuge of ancient peoples for millennia. Today what is most evident from those ancient cultures is the culinary imprint that influences the...

Curry is a word imbued with many meanings and mixed emotions. From the time of colonialism, it was long used to describe Indian food in general, a term that often had derogatory connotations to those of Indian descent. Today, fortunately, we recognize the regionality and diversity of the cuisine of India. And yet, largely through slavery, the enigmatic dish curry remains one of the most global of...

Taiwanese food is closely associated with Fujian and Japanese cuisine. There is a lot of braising, pickling, steaming, deep-frying, and noodles. Linda talks with Taiwanese-American food blogger, cookbook author, and podcaster Cathy Erway , to learn about the origins, influences, and nuances of the food of Taiwan. Photo courtesy of Pete Lee. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit...

There was a time, beginning about 500 years ago, when aspic/gelatin represented the finest, most elite, five-star dining experience. Jello dishes—savory and sweet-- appeared in abundance in the following decades. However, as historian and author Ken Albala clearly points out, “Jello is among the best examples of a food that goes in and out of fashion." On this episode, Ken discusses the history an...

Naomi Duguid has written fabulous books that are not only history and gastronomic adventures, but travelogues as well. In her newest work , she focuses on one ingredient--salt--and the essential role it has served for millennia in preserving, fermenting, and transforming food. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support A Taste of the Past by becoming a member...

On Thanksgiving, more than 46 million turkeys will be the centerpiece of American holiday tables. And, as usual, home cooks across the country will have questions and concerns about how to best prepare the big bird. For 41 years the Butterball team of experts has been fielding more than 100,000 calls during the holiday season on the Turkey Talk-Line. Bill Nolan, the Talk-Line Supervisor, shares th...