A Taste of the Past

Marion Nestle is one of the original food activists in America. For nearly half a century, as she tells it in her recently published memoir Slow Cooked , she has been teaching and writing about the effects of politics on what we eat and, therefore, on our health. She has been called a courageous champion of healthy food, social justice, and scientific integrity. Heritage Radio Network is a listene...

Legendary baker Rose Levy Beranbaum made history when she pioneered the reverse creaming technique for baking cakes. She wrote about it in her award-winning book, " The Cake Bible ," 34 years ago. Now, twelve books later, she has just published " The Cookie Bible ." On this episode, Rose shares her life of baking and love of cookies. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast...

When the Michelin starred chef Andrew Wong was on a working tour of China, it ignited a burning curiosity in not just exploring the vast cultural and regional differences that have come to define the gastronomic identity of China, but also opened his eyes to the beauty of China’s 3000-year history first-hand. It inspired newfound respect for the local and ceremonial aspects of Chinese culinary her...

According to the authors of a new book on the history of the Cuban Sandwich , "Hiding beween the thin slices of its fillings are invisible layers of meaning, the spirit of a people, and the story of a nation--the life and times of the Cuban Sandwich." They share the tales and delicious variations of how the Cubano became a symbol for a displaced people and won the hearts and bellies of America. He...

Every city has its own iconic food, particularly a sandwich. And in Chicago, it's the 'Italian Beef,' made even more well-known by the recent TV series "The Bear." Historian Anthony Buccini shares the facts of why it's Italian. We learn how the sandwich went from being served at festive occasions to being a staple take-out from a sandwich stand, all the while preserving its socio-cultural place in...

Last year, Capri Cafaro , host of HRN’s Eat Your Heartland Out , recorded a show about the summer State and County Fairs. I thought it would be a terrific way to get to know her podcast, and what could be more perfect in August than to replay this episode? There is nothing quite as American as the county or state fair. Capri welcomes Marla Calico, President & CEO of the International Associati...

President Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act making it an official holiday 154 years after it was first celebrated in Texas in 1866. And that was two years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation. Black people throughout America now embrace the official Juneteenth celebration on June 19th. One of HRN's OG podcast hosts , Nicole Taylor , joins me to talk ab...

A-Sha Noodles is the cult-favorite noodle brand known for its patented, 100-year-old legacy noodle recipe from Tainan, Taiwan. Starting in one market in 1977, the company's product is now recognized around the globe. A-Sha Foods USA has been recognized as one of the top 100 fastest growing private companies by Inc. Magazine and selected as one of the Top Ten Taiwanese Instant Noodles Of All Time f...

Over the past decade, Diana Garvin has conducted extensive research in Italian museums, libraries, archives, and first-hand interviews to examine the role of women's food work in relation to the politics of Fascism. She describes her findings from her new book that demonstrate how women and the Fascist state vied for control over national diet. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonpro...

Tibetan cuisine cannot be described without talking about the geography of place, or the tradition of Buddhist or shepherd culture. Husband and wife team Yeshi Jampa and Julie Kleeman talk about the history and unique background which captures the essence of Yeshi's recipes served at their food establishment, Taste Tibet , in Oxford, England, and which are now published in their new book, Taste Ti...

Italy is the largest rice production country in Europe, with a cultivation area of well over a half million acres and 1.6 million tons of total grain production. And they have been cultivating rice since the late 15th century. Count Paolo Salvadori di Wiesenhoff is an heir to and owner of one of the oldest Italian rice farms, Principato di Lucedio , which has been in existence since the 1400's. He...

The gin myth of “Mother’s Ruin,” which was depicted in William Hogarth’s 1751 print, Gin Lane, has colored the perception of alcohol consumption by women for nearly 300 years. Dr. Nicola Nice , who built her brand, Pomp & Whimsy , in an effort to write women back into cocktail history, joins Linda Pelaccio to talk about the history of gin and women. Photo Courtesy of William Hogarth Heritage R...

It was well known in diplomatic circles that one ate very well at President George Washington's table, thanks to his very talented, but enslaved cook Hercules. Stories abound about the fate of the famed cook. Author and culinary historian Ramin Ganeshram has discovered how he reemerged, now with the surname Posey, in New York City, where his skill as a chef helped him create a new life as a free m...

It’s a little known fact that in the nineteenth century, Americans favored green teas consumed hot with milk and sugar. The teas were imported from China until Japan developed an export industry centered on the U.S. Author Robert Hellyer explores the forgotten American preference and traces the trans-Pacific tea trade from the eighteenth century forward in his book, Green with Milk and Sugar (disc...

The history of cocktails in America is heavily skewed toward the male’s tale when, in fact, that is only half of story of the cocktail’s rise to social prominence. Women are largely absent from the tales of the cocktail until the late 20th century, but they were making, serving, and writing about the scene and its art long before Jerry Thomas’s famed bartender’s guide. Dr. Nicola Nice recognized t...

Cider is delicious and it is historic. It is America’s first popular alcoholic beverage, made from apples brought across the Atlantic from England in colonial times. And over the past fifteen or so years it has been enjoying something of a revival. To appreciate the differing tastes of cider one needs to know more about the apples and the history as “Cider embodies the best and worst of America’s...

Sourdough bread has a history that goes back at least 6,000 years and the earliest cultures--or sourdough starter--were likely an accident. Professor and amateur baker Eric Pallant shares the history and his own introduction to his storied starters from his new book Sourdough Culture . Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support A Taste of the Past by becoming...

The cooking lessons that stick with us are rarely the ones we read in books or learn through blog posts or YouTube videos. They’re the ones we pick up as we spend time with good cooks in the kitchen. Dorothy Kalins , founding editor of Saveur magazine, calls the people who pass on their cooking wisdom her Kitchen Whisperers. Consciously or not, they help make us the cooks we are—and help show the...

Although there is archeological evidence and historical writings about olive oil in the ancient world, the popularity, demand, and production of olive oil as we know it today has a very recent history. The designation of Extra Virgin did not occur until 1960, which was the beginning of the modern era for olive oil. Prof. Carl Ipsen from Indiana University, who recently won the Sophie Coe award for...

While creating and producing the hit series Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives , David Page dove deep into the world of American food. His new book, Food Americana , is an exploration and celebration of the foods Americans love and call their own. Page looks at the foods’ history, its evolution, and uncovers the people and stories behind the food. Tune in and "learn how Americans have formed a national...

Like the intricate pattern of intersecting lines of an ornamental Arabesque pattern, so are the roots of the Arab cuisine intertwined. Reem Kassis has researched Arabic food for many years and wrote her first book, The Palestinian Table , about the classic dishes. As her research continued she studied how the cuisine has evolved over the course of history with so many influences of the everchangin...

World-famous artisan bread authority and author Peter Reinhart recently shifted his focus to another form of yeasty dough, Pizza. He has launched a new podcast on Heritage Radio Network all about it, called PIZZA QUEST , where he meets all of the best pizza makers. On this episode, Linda gives you an opportunity to meet Peter and learn about his obsession and how he got there. Heritage Radio Netwo...

While it's enjoyed throughout the US, barbecue has long been recognized as southern cooking. But the originators of barbecue have not been given their culinary due. The African American culture has been largely ignored as the progenitor of the culture of barbecue as author and soul food scholar Adrian Miller is quick to point out in his new book, Black Smoke: African Americans and the United State...

There has been a resurgence in the cocktail culture of the pre-Prohibition period and the MadMen era. And whether mixing at home, cocktails-to-go (outside) from a restaurant or bar, or the new kid on the block: ready to drink cocktails in a can, there has been a definite uptick in the spirits market. Author and spirits writer Kara Newman shares her views and observations and answers Linda's questi...

Gypsies, Romani, Gitano - these are all names used to identify the ethnic group of Roma throughout Europe, of which there are more than 750,00 living in Spain. Food writer Valerio Farris learned about the cuisine of the Spanish Roma and the importance of preserving their recipes and culture by cooking with Roma people in and around Barcelona. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofi...