Boston Public Radio Podcast

Award-winning food writer Corby Kummer joined Boston Public Radio on Monday to share the story of food scientist Maria Orosa, the Filipino inventor of banana ketchup. Orosa was born in Taal, Philippines, in 1893, and became a U.S. government-sponsored scholar at 23, traveling to the U.S. to earn her bachelor’s and master’s in chemistry and pharmaceutical science at the University of Washington at Seattle. Though she was offered a job by the State of Washington, Orosa returned to her native Philippines to join the government’s Bureau of Science to create a variety of new local foods and tools: flour from bananas and cassava, earthenware palayok ovens, soybean drink Soyalac, and more. Perhaps Orosa’s most beloved creation was banana ketchup. After the U.S. colonized the Philippines in 1898, imports like ketchup became expensive — and tomatoes proved hard to grow in the tropical climate. Orosa developed banana ketchup using local saba bananas, sugar, vinegar, a variety of spices, and red food coloring. “She was like the Booker T. Washington of the Philippines, finding ways of using native-grown products in the Philippines to help feed people on a much broader scale,” Kummer said. In the wide-ranging discussion, Kummer also discussed the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, and McDonald’s new Happy Meal for adults. Corby Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy.

Today on Boston Public Radio: The midterms are now 36 days away. We opened the lines and asked our listeners: What does an increase in political violence in America say about us? We opened our lines again for another installment of Ask the Doctor with Dr. Katherine Gergen Barnett of Boston Medical Center. She joined us on the show to answer listeners' questions from COVID to the upcoming flu season. Charlie Sennott discussed Russian President Vladimir Putin’s staged annexation of Ukrainian territories. Far-right surges in recent elections in Italy and Sweden, as well as the upcoming runoff election in Brazil. Sennott is the founder and editor of The GroundTruth Project and award-winning correspondent. Co-founder and editor of The American Prospect, Robert Kuttner joined us and discussed his new book: ‘Going Big: FDR’s Legacy, Biden’s New Deal, and the Struggle to Save Democracy.’ Revs. Irene Monroe and Emmett Price discussed nonreligious women of color gathering to talk about Christian nationalism, and Jewish tweens singing Orthodox pop songs on TikTok. Corby Kummer discussed the policy proposals coming out of the recent White House Conference on Hunger Nutrition and Health, the growth of the Boston Veg Food Fest and more. Kummer is the executive director of Food & Society at the Aspen Institute and a senior editor of The Atlantic. We closed the show with a call-in segment, and asked listeners: After knowing everything we know about McDonalds and other fast food restaurants, do you still enjoy going to these restaurants?

Today on Boston Public Radio: Hurricane Ian has left a trail of devastation. We opened the lines to listeners to ask: Has climate change won? Is it too late for some spots on the coast line, like Florida and Cape Cod? Lauren Friel and Andrew Brady from Cambridge restaurant Dear Annie discussed their recent success including reviews from the New York Times and Bon Appetit. Callie Crosley joined us through zoom and discussed the current Corey Lewandowski sexual assault case, an uptick of COVID levels in Massachusetts wastewater, and airlines that charge a premium to keep nearby seats empty. Crosley is the host of GBH’s Under the Radar. Sue O’Connell from NBC 10 Boston discussed Biden’s recent “Where’s Jackie?” moment, an HIV-positive man in Revere finally able to pursue his dream of joining the Army, and the Lizzo x James Madison collaboration. James Bennett II discussed Carly Rae Jepsen’s music with a message for the burdened adult, Japanese Breakfast, and Trevor Noah’s exit from the Daily Show after seven years. Bennett is an arts and culture reporter for GBH News. General Manager of Wally’s Cafe Jazz Club Frank Poindexter and Musicians Noah Preminger & Kevin Harris joined the show to celebrate the reopening of the jazz club. Noah and Kevin’s band Sphere 427 delighted us with some music as well. We closed the show with a call-in segment, and heard from listeners about their preferences between text messages or the ever more popular voice message.

Today on Boston Public Radio: Chuck Todd talked about the political impacts of climate change-induced severe weather, Ron DeSantis’ upcoming governor race, the latest in the Brett Favre welfare scandal. Todd is the moderator of “Meet The Press” on NBC, host of “Meet The Press Daily” on MSNBC and the political director for NBC News. Then, we asked listeners if they’ve become more judgmental post-COVID. Andrea Cabral discussed the latest in the Brett Favre welfare scandal, the potential of Ginny Thomas’s role in the Jan. 6th hearing, and new polls showing millions of Americans say they support violence to get Trump back in power. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. J.B. Smoove talked about how he landed his Curb Your Enthusiasm role, and gave us a taste of his “Physical Therapy” tour. J.B. Smoove plays Leon Black on HBO’s Curb Your Enthusiasm. He has a show at the Wilbur Friday night. Kevin Green & Frank Lowenstein from the global climate nonprofit Rare, which recently set up their first state-wide initiative in Boston, told us about how tiny actions we take can make huge impacts on the environment. Green leads the Center for Behavior & the Environment at Rare, Lowenstein is the Senior Director of Rare. Jon Gruber gave us his insights on the “nondelegation doctrine,” a philosophy which SCOTUS justices used in last spring's case West Virginia vs. the EPA, and its wide reaching implications for things like healthcare. Gruber was instrumental in creating both the Massachusetts health-care reform and the Affordable Care Act. His latest book is “Jump-Starting America: How Breakthrough Science Can Revive Economic Growth and the American Dream.” We ended the show by asking listeners if they are taking small actions to help the environment.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We opened the show by hearing from listeners about Hurricane Ian baring down on Florida's gulf coast, and how climate change is making storms more extreme. Medical ethicist Art Caplan discussed medical transparency for people seeking political office, Biogen's results from a clinical trial of a drug they're developing that aims to slow the progression of Alzheimer's disease. Caplan is the Drs. William F and Virginia Connolly Mitty Professor and founding head of the Division of Medical Ethics at NYU School of Medicine in New York City. Congressman Jim McGovern called into the show from the White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health to discuss the administration's efforts to end hunger in the United States. Tom Nichols discussed Russia's conscription and the latest developments in the war in Ukraine. Nichols is a staff writer at The Atlantic, where he writes the Peacefield newsletter. Matt Gertz discussed how right-wing media has been covering the January 6 committee hearings, and what to expect around the upcoming midterm elections. Gertz is a senior fellow at Media Matters. Shirley Leung discussed ballot questions before voters this November, including the Fair Share Amendment and one involving dental insurers. Leung is a business columnist at the Boston Globe. We closed the show by talking with listeners about lingering stigma around imbibing in marijuana around their children.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We started the show by hearing our listener's reactions to the news that NASA had successfully launched a satellite into an asteroid to test its ability to redirect the paths of objects in space. Trenni Casey discussed how Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka’s year-long suspension for having an inappropriate relationship with a female staff member impacted the official launch of the C’s season. Casey also discussed how replacement coach Joe Mazzulla’s relative inexperience could affect the team's prospects. Trenni is an anchor and reporter with NBC Sports Boston, and a Boston Public Radio contributor. Nancy Gertner discussed the upcoming Jan. 6 insurrection hearing scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Sept. 27, which was subsequently postponed due to the impending Hurricane Ian. Gertner also examined the six legal cases former President Donald Trump is facing and whether or not he could actually be criminally prosecuted. Nancy Gertner is a retired federal judge in Massachusetts and a senior lecturer at Harvard Law School. Jared Bowen recounted his visit to the grand opening of the MIT Museum and whether art made with artificial intelligence is a toy or a weapon — or even art at all. He also covered the latest production of “La Bohéme,” which is playing at Boston Lyrical Opera. Jared Bowen is GBH’s Executive Arts Editor and host of the TV series Open Studio, airing Friday nights on GBH 2. Corby Kummer discussed New York City’s delayed attempts to ban foie gras; Katz and other “old-school delis” having their moment in the spotlight; and California’s farm labor bill. Corby Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy. John King discussed how polling is still fluid ahead of the upcoming midterms, creating a hazy picture for who will control Congress come January. John King is CNN’s chief National Correspondent and anchor of Inside Politics.

The last time a Presidential administration held a summit on hunger, Richard Nixon was president – giving way to the federal food stamp program we know today. On Wednesday, President Biden will hold his own hunger summit in DC, aiming to bring food and nutrition into the practice of medicine and healthcare. “It took years of work to get the White House to consider having its own conference, which they’re calling Hunger, Health and Nutrition,” said food policy writer Corby Kummer, whose organization the Aspen Institute is involved in the conference and who will be attending. Kummer said one concrete action that will come out of the conference will be recommendations to expand paid, medically tailored meals, as well as access to SNAP. “And then the real work will begin of actually enacting them,” said Kummer. Corby Kummer is executive director of the Food and Society policy program at the Aspen Institute, a senior editor at The Atlantic and a senior lecturer at the Tufts Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy

Today on Boston Public Radio: We started the show by hearing from listeners about what their ideal work week would look like, as more and more people seek alternatives to the traditional 9 to 5. Michael Curry discussed the latest COVID-19 numbers in Massachusetts, the Mass Black Expo aiming to foster community for Black entrepreneurs, and the latest on diversity in state contracts. Michael Curry is President and CEO of the Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers. He’s also a Member of the National NAACP Board of Directors, where he chairs the board’s Advocacy & Policy Committee. Poet Richard Blanco read some of his own poetry tackling identity to help us celebrate Hispanic heritage month. Blanco Blanco is the fifth presidential inaugural poet in U.S. history, His latest book "How To Love A Country" deals with various socio-political issues that shadow America. Reverends Irene Monroe and Emmett G Price III discussed the moral issues of the day, like how 75% of Republican evangelicals saying they want the US to be declared a Christian nation, and psychotherapists incorporating faith into their practices. Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker discussed the state of the MBTA, the state's response to dozens of Venezuelan migrants sent here by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, and took listener calls.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show by asking listeners about the year-long suspension of Celtics coach Ime Udoka. Juliette Kayyem talked about the latest from the Alex Jones trial, Former President Donald Trump’s recent spring of bad headlines, including his seeming support for QAnon and the fraud lawsuit against him and some of his children. Kayyem was the assistant secretary for Homeland Security under former President Barack Obama, and is the faculty chair of the Homeland Security program at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. Her new book is “The Devil Never Sleeps: Learning to Live in an Age of Disasters.” David Abel talked about his latest reporting, including Boston Mayor Michelle Wu’s new forestry plan to increase the city’s canopy, and railroad companies in Mass. bulldozing thousands of trees. Abel is a Pulitzer Prize–winning writer who covers the environment for the Boston Globe. Christopher Muther talked about his travel reporting, including new luxury RV parks in Boston, Pete Buttigeig’s potential air travel reforms, a potential train from Boston to Montreal, and Liverpool culture beyond the Beatles. Muther is a travel writer for the Boston Globe. Zurin Villanueva and Ann Nesby from Tina: The Tina Turner Musical shared their experience with the show so far, and how Turner’s music has impacted their lives. Zurin plays Tina Turner in the show, Ann plays the role of Tina’s grandmother. You can buy tickets to the show here.  Kevin O’Connor & Tom Silva from “This Old House” joined us ahead of the premiere of their 44th season to talk about this season of the show and answer listener questions. O’Connor is the host of This Old House, and Silva is the show’s long-time general contractor. We ended the show by taking listener questions for O’Connor and Silva.

Today on Boston Public Radio: We began the show asking listeners whether the recent headlines about Former President Trump will affect the public’s perception of him. Susan Zalkind gave some insight into her years of investigating a 2011 triple homicide in Waltham, Mass., which despite its brutality and connections to the Boston Marathon bombing, remains unsolved; and its recent adaptation into a docu-series. Zalkind is an independent journalist, writer and producer. A docu-series based on her reporting, “Murders before the Marathon,” is out on Hulu.  Andrea Cabral discussed the latest in former President Trump’s legal troubles, and Adnan Syed’s release after two decades in prison. Cabral is the former Suffolk County sheriff and secretary of public safety, and former CEO of the cannabis company Ascend. Sue O’Connell shared her insights on the alleged looming price spike of heating, and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene’s pledge to introduce articles of impeachment against President Joe Biden. O’Connell is the co-publisher of Bay Windows and South End News, and contributor to Current, on NBC L-X and NECN. Paul Reville talked about the way that President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan will affect Mass. residents, schools boycotting the US News Ratings, and responded to an Atlantic piece raising the question of whether we ought to push all our sons’ schooling back a year. Meredith Goldstein and Sara Farizan joined us to talk about Farizan’s new book, “My Buddy, Killer Croc,” a YA novel in the DC umbrella, and then Goldstein talked about the latest edition of her column: “I have a crush on a fictional character. I’m not sure how to find real love.” Goldstein is a features writer for the Boston Globe, where she authors the “Love Letters” column and hosts the “Love Letters” podcast. Farizan is an author of several award winning young adult novels. Her most recent, My Buddy, Killer Croc, a DC Comics middle-grade graphic novel, came out on Sept. 6th. We ended the show by asking listeners what they think about using human remains as compost.