Eat Your Heartland Out

On this episode of Eat Your Heartland Out, we meet author Peggy Wolff . Peggy is an Illinois native and editor of Fried Walleye and Cherry Pie: Midwestern Writers On Food. She shares her compelling journey into food writing and her secrets to capturing cultural stories through food.   Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Eat Your Heartland Out by becomi...

On this week's episode, we are bringing together guests united in one mission: to empower.  First we welcome Paula Haines, the CEO of Freedom a la Cart in Columbus, Ohio. She's joined by her colleague Mandie Knight, resource manager for the organization, which helps survivors of human trafficking by providing them with work experience through catering.  Next, Ruth Le Friec is the lead employabilit...

On this week's episode of Eat Your Heartland Out, we discuss similarities in the food histories of regions separated by oceans and borders.  First we welcome journalist Samira Mohyeddin, the host of CBC's Unforked , to compare the impacts of migration on Canadian and Midwestern foodways. Then we speak with food historian Emma Kay about many centuries of evolving food culture in the British isles,...

On today’s show, we are embracing the Bread Basket of America. Agriculture is the industry responsible for putting food on our tables. And, it’s also an economic engine for many parts of the Midwest. Ag organizations across the country support the efforts of generations of farmers to develop leadership skills, learn new industry practices and provide a sense of community.  We are lucky to be joine...

In this episode, we will meet two more leaders in the indigenous food sovereignty movement who are using food to both empower and inspire.  From seed cataloguing to sustainable fishing, Indigenous persons are decolonizing their diets, preserving their traditions, and educating their non-Native neighbors about the important role food plays in all of our lives Daniel Grooms, business manager of the...

We explore the business of food tours and what they have to offer to both locals and visitors alike. And, It’s not just the big cities that offer unique culinary tours. We visit with hosts from Oskaloosa Food Tours (Iowa), Madison Eats Food Tours (Wisconsin) and Sioux Falls Food Tours (South Dakota) who take pride in showcasing the flavors of their regions. Hear what inspired these women to start...

Today we are celebrating the spirit of summer through the time-honored tradition of county and state fairs.  There is nothing quite as American, or Midwestern for that matter, than the county fair. On today’s show we're pleased to welcome Marla  Calico, President & CEO of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions , who discusses the history behind the agricultural fair and how fai...

In this episode, we meet refugee chefs who now call the United States their home. In Milwaukee, Tables Across Borders brings the community together through food with a variety of events that spotlight the talents of refugee chefs. In Missoula, Montana, we meet the founder of Soft Landing Missoula , an organization that supports refugees through their United We Eat program. And, we learn about the...

In this episode, we explore how community fridges, pantries and even ovens are helping address food insecurity across the Midwest. These concepts have popped up in larger cities on the coasts, but are also present in cities and towns big and small in the Midwest. Unsurprisingly, Chicago is leading the way on community fridges. In the Windy City, the Love Fridge brings communities together through...

In this episode, we meet some pioneers of the “pay what you can” café movement throughout the Midwest. In South Dakota, we visit Fork Real Community Café, where local lawyers dine along side the homeless. In Ohio, we head to Fennel and Thyme Café, a meal prep business committed to paying it forward to those in need. And, out in Grand Rapids, Iowa we visit Groundswell Cafe, an initiative of a local...

If you have ever wanted to learn more about the food and culture of the Ozarks, today’s show is for you.  We are joined by Rob Connoley, founder of Bulrush in Missouri. Rob will tell us about his journey from non-profit professional to restaurant owner and how his search for authenticity inspired his unique approach to designing menus and educating diners in the process. Heritage Radio Network is...

Fat Tuesday and Friday fish fries are well-known food traditions of the Lenten season. In this episode, we go beyond the usual Lenten staples to explore some tasty and maybe surprising Lenten dishes.  In Missouri, beaver is served instead of fish on Fridays.  Brenton Brown of Bootleggin' BBQ tells us why.  Lana Yeager of the Russia House of Kansas City introduces us to the Russian Orthodox celebra...

Mead is an often overlooked and misunderstood drink. But, in recent years, it has grown in popularity, especially in the Midwest.  Mead makers come to the craft from a variety of backgrounds. On today’s show we will meet Kent Waldeck , a former manufacturing project manager who took his Ohio mead making business full time. In Wisconsin, we are introduced to Colleen Bos, who has two master’s degree...

On this episode, we are celebrating the maple harvest.  In early March, communities across the Midwest come together to share the natural bounty of the maple syrup harvest.  Driving tours and festivals connect curious consumers with maple makers who open their sugar houses for all who want to visit.  We are taking our own virtual maple tour, making stops at Butternut Maple Farm in Ohio and Maplewo...

We travel to Kansas where the wine industry is growing.  We will meet Jeff Sollo, owner of Grace Hill Winery near Wichita who will tell us about a hobby grew into producing some of the most popular wines in the Midwest.  Linda Skellenger tells us how wine is just not for drinking as she introduces us to her line of Uncorked Wine Jelly . Patty Held, the President of the Hermann Wine Trail in Missou...

On today’s show, we will meet a trio of craft spirit makers that are as unique as the drinks they produce.  Nick Nagle brings us to Whiskey Acres , an Illinois-based farm that harvests grain and, as the name suggests, makes it into whiskey.  We will travel from Illinois to Michigan to visit with Michael Garyet who is bringing craft spirits to the beer town of Lansing at American Fifth Spirits . Fi...

In this hour, we are drinking our way through the Midwest starting with hard cider. Our guests introduce us to the multifaceted world of cider making.   We will visit with John Behrens, President of the Michigan Cider Association who will provide us with a primer on the Midwestern cider scene, Deirdre Birmingham, the woman behind The Cider Farm in Wisconsin. She will tell us about her orchard-to-g...

Eat Your Heartland is back for Season 2. In our first episode of the new season, Capri is joined by author Jeanette Hurt . Jeanette has written 12 books about food and drink including Wisconsin Cocktails and The Joy of Cider: All You Ever Wanted To Know About Making and Drinking Hard Cider . Jeanette introduces us to unique Midwestern drinks such as the Wisconsin Old Fashioned and the ice cream co...

The show will be back with Season 2 in January, but in the meantime, enjoy this bonus episode about how baking can bring communities together.  Meet Rose McGee, the founder of the Sweet Potato Comfort Pie project that uses pie to start meaningful conversations about social justice. And, hear from Val Lucks, the founder of the Great Midwestern Pie Contest , a competition that lifts spirits while en...

Restauranteurs Alberto Denegri and Farxaan Jeyte joined forces to bring Peruvian and Somali food to the residents of Columbus, Ohio. Listen to them tell the story of how traditional dishes of Peruvian roasted chicken and Somali camel became popular in this Midwestern college town. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Eat Your Heartland Out by becoming a...

Shauna Sever , author of Midwest Made, shares her insights into the philosophy of Midwestern baking. Journalist Salena Zito tells the story of the Midwestern Cookie Table tradition and her own personal experience making hundreds of cookies for her own daughter's wedding. Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Eat Your Heartland Out by becoming a member !...

The journey through the Midwest's rich ethnic flavors continues as host Capri S. Cafaro is joined by two guests who share their own personal experiences of bringing different Middle Eastern food traditions to America's Heartland. Folklorist Chrissy Widmayer brings her family's Chaldean-American story to life through food while Nick Srour tells our listeners about the Lebanese-American food experie...

Host Capri S. Cafaro is joined by an inspiring lineup of guests who will share their insights on how Southeast Asian immigrants have impacted the Midwestern food landscape. Dr. Ashley Rose Young of the Smithsonian Institution will provide context to the migratory patterns of SE Asian immigrants into the Midwest, while Yia Vang and Zin Zin Htun will share their own personal experiences as food entr...

This week's episode showcases the culinary traditions of Scandinavian, Germanic and Northern European immigrants into the American Midwest. Paula Johnson , Curator at the Smithsonian Museum of American History, discusses the flavors of Scandinavia throughout the upper Midwest. Kyle Cherek , food historian and former host of the PBS show Wisconsin Foodie, share insights about the history of German...

This episode of Eat Your Heartland Out is dedicated to capturing the impact of Eastern European and Jewish immigrants on the development of Midwestern food and flavors. Recognizing that these categories of immigrants are vast and varied in origin and cultural traditions, host Capri Cafaro welcomes two guests who aim to share a snapshot of how these diverse ethnic groups impacted the way we eat in...