This Is TASTE

Franco Fubini, founder of Natoora and sustainability professor at Columbia, shares his passion for high-quality produce. He delves into the vital role of flavor in sustainable farming and the intricate connections between chefs and farmers. Fubini discusses the rise of environmentally-focused farmers in the Northeast and examines innovative solutions recognized by the Food Planet Prize. He also highlights seasonal heirloom favorites and the fascinating story of winter tomatoes from Sicily, showcasing how stress influences their unique flavors.

In this lively chat, Sarah Fennel, the self-taught baker and creator behind Broma Bakery, shares her journey from a passion project to a beloved baking blog. She reminisces about her early writing days and the evolution of Broma over 15 years. Sarah discusses the pandemic's impact on creativity and the rise of food influencers while emphasizing the emotional connections behind shared recipes. Listeners will also learn essential tips for perfecting pavlova and explore innovative twists on classic treats, revealing the joys and challenges of the culinary world.

Dan Barber, renowned chef and co-owner of Blue Hill restaurants, chats about his revolutionary approach to cooking rooted in simplicity and innovation. He shares insights on the unique veggies from his Row 7 Seed Company, like the Sweet Garleek, and emphasizes the importance of flavor and nutrition in produce. The conversation also touches on the GMO debate, the versatility of beets, and the cultural significance of salads. Barber reflects on mentoring young chefs and the joy of dining at their establishments, blending culinary passion with sustainable practices.

Samantha Irby is a humorist, a TV writer, and the author of an incredible new essay collection, Quietly Hostile. In this episode, we talk about so many things: Chicago pizza, living in Michigan, Bosnian food in Grand Rapids, car wash dudes in Kalamazoo, and what it’s like to write lines for Carrie Bradshaw (as well as give her diarrhea). Clare de Boer is the chef-owner of Stissing House, a restaurant located in New York’s Hudson Valley that we like very, very much. Clare is also the chef-owner of two New York City restaurants, King and Jupiter. In this episode, we speak with Clare about her time cooking at the River Café in London and her journey to the United States to open some of the country’s best restaurants. We also talk about her great Subtack, The Best Bit. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ina Garten joins us in the studio for a really fun conversation that dips into her excellent new memoir, Be Ready When the Luck Happens, which is out this week. While the story covers Ina’s whole technicolor life—from a difficult childhood through her time working at the White House, to opening her specialty food store, Barefoot Contessa, to her cookbook and television work—we wanted to focus on Ina as entrepreneur, splitting time between 1970s New York City and the Hamptons. It was a different era, and she even tells a story about being held up at gunpoint. This is a wide-ranging conversation, and I think you will learn a lot about the Ina that came before the Ina we all know. I hope you enjoy it.  Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.  MORE FROM INA GARTEN: Ina Garten, Fig Cake, and One Fun Phone Call [TASTE] Ina Garten and the Age of Abundance [The New Yorker] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Casey Lewis is an expert on Gen Z and writes the colorful Substack After School, which covers youth culture and trends. We wanted to have Casey on the show not just to talk about “how the kids are eating and drinking and shopping for food” but to dig into her reporting on today’s rapidly shifting culture. It’s a fascinating talk about CPG, restaurant trends, and how social media is changing the way we all eat and drink.Also on the show, Matt catches up with the B.O. Boys to talk about their excellent movie box office podcast, how food movies have performed (and not performed) at the box office, some overrated/underrated food movies, and we talk about a series of live events they are doing this fall.  Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.    MORE FROM CASEY LEWIS: Don't Get Your Financial Advice on TikTok Camo Hoodies and Crocs Clompers Gatorwine and dELiA*s Zines Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Joe Yonan is the food and dining editor of the Washington Post. It’s a big job, covering an outstanding food city, so it’s pretty remarkable that Yonan finds time in the margins to write cookbooks every couple years. Much respect, Joe. In this episode, we talk about his latest cookbook, the ambitious Mastering the Art of Plant-Based Cooking, among other topics. It’s a really great talk, and we dig into the Washington, DC, dining scene, this impossible-to-figure-out Beyond Meat world we live in, and many recipes from his terrific new book. I hope you enjoy our conversation.   Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about three things they are into right now! These include: Arbitrary Stupid Goal by Tamara Shopsin, Il Totano is Harold Dieterle's big NYC return and it rules, 886 in NYC has a great new menu, Romy Gill's India is a great new cookbook, check out Rodeo, an exciting new wine bar in Brooklyn, Channels with Peter Kafka is the return of one of the best podcasters in the game.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.    MORE FROM JOE YONAN: Beans, Beans, Let’s Talk About Beans [TASTE] Keith Lee (Politely) Dunks on D.C.’s Food Scene [WP] Big Crisp Energy [TASTE] Chef’s Night Out with Lucas Sin & Eric Sze [Vice] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jessie Sheehan is all about baking. She’s host of the baking podcast She’s My Cherry Pie on Radio Cherry Bombe and the author of four baking cookbooks, including her newest: Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes. This book ventures into all-savory territory, from biscuits and scones to what she calls “toasty handhelds,” kinda like fancy hot pockets, and this episode will have you craving them all. Also on the show, it’s time to talk about cool new fall cookbooks. All season Aliza and Matt are previewing some of their favorites, category by category. Next up is books by people we follow and love. These include Good Lookin' Cookin' by Dolly Parton, Soups, Salads, Sandwiches by Matty Matheson, What Goes with What: 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities by Julia Turshen, Life's Sweetest Moments by Dominique Ansel, Pass the Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes by Carolina Gelen, Justine Cooks: A Cookbook: Recipes (Mostly Plants) for Finding Your Way in the Kitchen by Justine Doiron, Sweet Tooth by Sarah Fennel.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.    MORE FROM JESSIE SHEEHAN: Salty, Cheesy, Herby, Crispy Snackable Bakes She’s My Cherry Pie [Radio Cherry Bombe] How to Make Snackable Bakes [WNYC] TASTE Live at Rizzoli: What Goes with What by Julia Turshen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Paola Velez is an award-winning chef, activist, and author based in Washington, DC. She’s the cofounder of the viral grassroots bake sale Bakers Against Racism and the author of a great debut cookbook, Bodega Bakes. We brought Paola into the studio to talk about her impressive career, including acting as a culinary diplomat for the State Department, and the unforgettable recipes in her book, like pecan-plantain sticky buns.Also on the show, Aliza and Matt talk about some of the things they have been cooking in the peak produce period of late summer, as well as other kitchen adventures. These include the egg yolk saga continues, Zoë François key lime pie has a twist, the sardine deserves the tuna melt treatment, more sardines but this time as a stove-top pasta sauce, a kitchen floor renovation tip, a fun recipe from Koreaworld.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.    MORE FROM PAOLA VELEZ: Pecan-Plantain Sticky Buns [Food and Wine] Selena + Chef: Paola Velez [HBO] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cookbook author and online personality Carolina Gelen is on a mission to share her love of food, which comes into focus in a great new cookbook, Pass the Plate: 100 Delicious, Highly Shareable, Everyday Recipes. Carolina’s journey began in Transylvania, Romania, where she was born and raised. In 2021, she immigrated to the United States to pursue her passion for food full time. She is a recipe developer and food content creator with work featured in the New York Times and on the Food Network and Food52. In this episode we hear about Carolina’s journey to her debut cookbook and what makes her recipes unique and cookbook-able. I hope you enjoy our conversation.Also on the show, Matt covers four great books being released this fall that are about food, but not quite cookbooks. These include: Why I Cook by Tom Colicchio, Taste in Music: Eating on Tour with Indie Musicians by Alex Bleeker and Luke Pyenson, A Thousand Feasts by Nigel Slater, Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir by Ina Garten.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you.    MORE FROM CAROLINA GELEN: Scraps [Substack] Seared Chicken Thighs With Cherry Tomatoes and Olives [NYT] Lemon Olive Oil Cake [official] This Is TASTE 396: Robert Sietsema & Luke Pyenson [TASTE] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices