This Is TASTE

Michele Norris, a groundbreaking journalist and host of Your Mama’s Kitchen, shares her insights on the intersection of food and storytelling, revealing how her journalist roots influence her culinary narratives. Erin Gleason, the creative force behind The Watercolor Feast series, discusses her artistic journey and encourages everyone to explore painting as a way to connect with food. They dive into how food culture has evolved, especially during the Obama administration, while discussing the role of storytelling in understanding diverse identities.

It’s the return of a special video podcast series: Food Writers Talking About Food Writing. It’s available on the TASTE YouTube channel, so make sure to subscribe. Every couple of weeks, cohost Matt Rodbard invites a journalist to talk about some favorite recent food writing as well as their thoughts on the industry as a whole. Our next guest is Kat Kinsman, executive features editor at Food & Wine. Kat is an absolute legend in the game and has been at the center of food media for nearly two decades. In this episode, we talk about Kat’s journalism career, her current media diet, and some favorite stories we’ve been reading lately. We also played “What would you pitch 1997 Graydon Carter?” That is, Kat considers her dream no-budget reporting assignment. It’s a deeply personal conversation, and you should check it out. Featured on this episode: Subscribe to TASTE [YouTube] A Shadow Hanging Over Europe: ‘A Taste of Italy’ From New Jersey [NYT] “Not Too Sweet” or Too Sweet to Fail? [TASTE] Where’d You Go, Chef Rocco DiSpirito? [Food & Wine] Do You Eat Clockwise, Top-Down, or Bite-By-Bite? [Best Food Blog] Tinfoil Swans [Apple] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today is all about ice cream, and we have two guests who know the business inside and out. Tyler Malek is the cofounder and head chef of Salt & Straw, a cult-followed ice cream chain with scoop shops across the country. Based in Portland, Oregon, Salt & Straw is known for churning out the most imaginative ice cream flavors around. In the new cookbook America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams, Tyler takes a look at the classics with fresh eyes, then branches out into new territory. Aliza had so much fun having Tyler in the studio to nerd out on ice cream, from hitting up vanilla geneticists to building “flavor trinities” in each scoop. Also on the show, we catch up with Pooja Bavishi. Pooja is the founder and CEO of Malai, a South Asian–inspired ice cream company based in Brooklyn, and she’s one of the sharpest founders in the ice cream game. We talk about Pooja’s big idea for Malai and dig into her debut cookbook. 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

We love catching up with Nicole Rucker. She’s a Los Angeles–based chef and owner of the wildly creative pie shops Fat + Flour. She’s also the author of a new cookbook, which covers some of the iconic pies at the shop and so much more. In this episode, we catch up about her favorite Los Angeles restaurants, have a blast debating fruit fillings, and cover all the big decisions a home baker needs to make.Also in the episode, we have a terrific conversation with Shaily Lipa. She’s the author of a really cool new cookbook, Yassou: The Simple, Seasonal Mediterranean Cooking of Greece. We talk about all the foods she ate traveling through Greece while growing up and so much more.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. See more: This Is TASTE 40: Nicole Rucker [TASTE] The Founder of Fat + Flour Busts the Biggest Baking Myth [LA Times] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The meme can be funny, biting, poignant, and oftentimes ubiquitous. Eli Sussman, a talented chef and cookbook author, has mastered the art of the culinary meme with his IG account, @TheSussmans. Eli is a proud Michigander, and on this special episode, we talk about the state’s bounty and how Michigan’s sustainably farmed, artisanal spirits brand Thatcher's Organic Artisan Spirits is channeling the state’s produce in its line of liqueurs. We discuss how Eli mixes and cooks with Thatcher’s, and we go over some of his favorite Michigan restaurants.Also on the show is a fun conversation with Matt DeLong. Matt leads Thatcher’s commitment to organic ingredients and sustainable practices as well as its unique portfolio of flavors. We talk about the process of flavor development—and how hibiscus is actually quite versatile in the kitchen.This episode was supported by Thatcher’s Organic Artisan Spirits.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s so special having Rick Martinez on the show to talk about his very fun new book, Salsa Daddy. Rick is the author of the best-selling cookbook Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico, and Salsa Daddy is just as delicious. It’s a salsa-first approach to cooking, with more than 70 salsa recipes that anchor 24 meals, from torta de Milanesa to pozole verde de pollo, and I can already tell it’s going to change my cooking for the better. Also on the show, I chat with author Emma Christensen about the joy of brewing boozy drinks at home with help from her great new cookbook: Hard Seltzer, Iced Tea, Kombucha, and CiderDo 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

Driven by her passion for food and travel, Rachel Simons traded her corporate law career for an entrepreneurial adventure, cofounding Seed + Mill, New York’s first store devoted entirely to sesame products. Located in the iconic Chelsea Market, the business quickly captured the hearts of locals and tourists alike, evolving into a nationally celebrated brand. Today on the show, we speak with Rachel about her growing business and her terrific new cookbook, Sesame: Global Recipes + Stories of an Ancient Seed.Also on the show, Aliza chats with fashion writer Emilia Petrarca about the rise of the resSTOREaunt, aka restaurants attached to luxury brands in NYC and beyond.Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. READ MORE: Would you eat at a reSTOREant? [Shop Rat] Give Printemps un Moment [The Cut] Seed + Mill Halva [official] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We are excited to bring you this episode. Recently Matt headed out of the studio to visit Philadelphia, one of America’s great food cities, to check out the scene and report back on his findings. He visited bakeries and coffee shops and stopped by a really cool cookbook store. He felt the incredible spice and vibes at Kalaya and met a bunch of new friends along the way. In this episode, we speak with Tyler Akin, the chef of Bastia, an exciting tribute to the food of Sardinia and Corsica. We also catch up with Muhammad Abdul-Hadi, who runs the mission-driven Down North Pizza and is the author of a terrific new cookbook, We the Pizza. Throughout the episode, Matt and Aliza chat about some exciting food and drink discoveries.Mentioned on the episode: Bastia, Down North Pizza, Fork, New June, Mighty Bread, Kalaya, Isgro Pastries, Loratta's, Binding Agents.Save our Google Map of all the places mentioned in the episode.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

Eden Grinshpan is a Canadian chef and television host based in Toronto, Ontario. She has hosted Top Chef Canada since 2017, and she is the author of a very cool new book, Tahini Baby. In this episode, we talk about Eden’s career both on and off television. We dig into her New York City restaurant takes — the good, the bad, and the labneh — and how she developed her unique recipe style and vibe. Also on the show we have a terrific conversation with Gena Hamshaw, author of the new book, A Grain, a Green, a Bean. We talk about her work as a nutritionist, and how her book cracks many codes when it comes to eating a plant-based diet.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

On today’s episode, we talk about protein, one of the biggest topics in food today. First up is a really fun conversation with our friend Daniel Holzman. Daniel is the chef and owner of Danny Boy’s Pizza in Los Angeles and cofounder of The Meatball Shop in New York City. This is a guy who knows about cooking with beef while balancing his diet for optimal health. We also talk about the pizza game and the creative ways he cooks to maximize his daily protein intake.Also on the show, we have a fascinating talk with sports dietitian Christina Chu. Christina works with professional athletes and actors on building programs to balance their diets and compete at the highest level. We talk about Christina’s favorite sources for protein (beef included) and how she likes to think visually about the plate, balancing carbs, vegetables, and protein.    This special episode was brought to you by Beef. It’s What’s For Dinner. On behalf of the Beef Checkoff. USDA recommends a safe minimum internal temperature of 145ºF for steaks and roasts, and 160ºF for ground beef. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices