A Taste of the Past

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is talkin’ sugar and its checkered, dark past with guest Andrew F. Smith, author of “Sugar: A Global History.” It’s no surprise that sugar has been on our minds for several millenia. First cultivated in New Guinea around 8,000 B.C.E., this addictive sweetener has since come to dominate our appetites-whether in candy, desserts, soft drinks, or even pasta sauces-for better and for worse. Offering highlights of the book and other historical factoids of this simultaneously beloved and reviled ingredient, Andy relays how sugar has held its incredible value as a global commodity up against its darker legacies of slavery and widespread obesity. Tune in to hear a layered and definitive tale of sugar and the many people caught in its spell-from barons to slaves, from chefs to the countless among us born with that insatiable devil, the sweet tooth. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “The American Revolution is directly tied to sugar and molasses.” “It wasn’t until the late 19th century that you had the granulated sugar and sugar cubes and things that we now know and and love.” “Companies now have several different names for sugar so it doesn’t look like it’s the number one ingredient, which it is.” —Andrew F. Smith on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio takes listeners along to the recent International Association of Culinary Professionals Conference held in Washington, DC, and chats with the distinguished Anne Willan. Anne Willan has had an extraordinary career in the culinary arts and is recognized as one of the world’s preeminent authorities on French cooking and even founded École de Cuisine La Varenne in Paris in 1975. Inducted into the James Beard Foundation Awards Hall of Fame for her “body of work” in May, 2013, Anne has more than 50 years of experience as a teacher, author and culinary historian. She has written more than 30 books, including the influential La Varenne Pratique and the 17-volume, photo-illustrated Look and Cook series, showcased in a 26-part PBS program which she hosted. Her books have been translated into more than two dozen foreign language editions. Tune in asLinda speaks with this living culinary legend, live on the scene, about her new book “Secrets from the La Varenne Kitchen: 50 Essential Recipes Every Cook Needs to Know,” plus a lot more! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio welcomes Judy Witts Francini to talk all about the food of Italian feasts! Despite not being Italian herself, Judy has an impressive Italian culinary resume including Divina Cucina cooking classes and tours as well as a cookbook and smartphone app. Telling Linda how she initially fell in love with Italy and Italian cooking, her journey to culinary expertise has been nothing if not impressive. Going month to month featuring Italian holidays and festivals, Judy relays all the delicious details of the seasonal foods served plus more. This program was brought to you by Edwards VA Ham. “It’s so much fun to be in a village for a festival, for a celebration; when I organize my culinary courses I like to organize it around a festival.” [15:30] —Judy Witts Francini on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The vernal equinox is upon us and with it brings the start of spring! It is also the beginning of the ancient Persian New Year celebration of Nowruz, and on this week’s A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is talking to the “guru of Persian cuisine,” cookbook author, and culinary educator Najmieh Batmanglij all about the history and food traditions of the holiday. Having just baked a batch of baklava, Najmieh goes on to share the meaning behind certain dishes and that are vital to a proper celebration. After the break, Linda and Najmieh delve into the essential ingredients to Persian cuisine and how many date back thousands of years. Rounding out the show, it is discussed that Nowruz is not a secular holiday, rather a celebration of the Earth for everyone to enjoy. Tune in for a wonderful show! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Photos and recipe from Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies by Najmieh Batmanglij © 1986, 2015, courtesy of Mage Publishers, www.mage.com “In Iran, food is an essential part of every ceremony.” “Noodles represent the path of life and by eating them you unravel the difficulties of your life… you must eat noodles!” “In Iranian, feasting your eyes is as important as your tastebuds.” —Najmieh Batmanglij on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Americans once sipped coffee and ate pie around communal tables, sharing their struggles and dreams with strangers at Horn & Hardart’s iconic Automat. This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is talking the history of the automat with Marianne Hardart, the great-granddaughter of Automat co-founder Frank Hardart; her father, Augustin, was the last of three generations of Hardarts to manage the Automats. But, what exactly is an Automat? Marianne explains it was a ‘fast food’ restaurant where hot foods and drink were served by coin-operated vending machines that were stocked by actual kitchens making items fresh. Talking about all things Automat, after the break, Linda welcomes Lisa Hurwitz, the Director and Producer of The Automat, The Horn & Hardart Documentary Film (check out the Kickstarter campaign here). Adding her thoughts on the topic and sharing why the Automat is an important piece of American culinary history, she relates how more than just entertainment, The Automat is a parable of how we once dined happily together before turning to the isolated and unhappy experience offered by today’s fast food, a bad deal that no amount of advertising can disguise. This program was brought to you by Bi-Rite Market. “There was nothing automatic about it, which was sort of a joke in the beginning, it involved several people to get the food from one place in the restaurant to another. What it evolved into was this machine that you put in a nickel and opened a door and pulled out your meal.” [5:55] —Marianne Hardart on A Taste of the Past “The Automat, for me, just had so much personality and character and for someone like myself who never experienced it first hand when I learned about the Automat I was extremely fascinated by the concept.” [18:45] —Lisa Hurwitz on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From dal to samosas, paneer to vindaloo, dosa to naan, today’s A Taste of the Past is delving into the history of the food in India. Host Linda Pelaccio welcomes guest Colleen Taylor Sen, a culinary historian and writer who has specialized in the cuisine of the Indian subcontinent, to the show to dissect this country’s rich culinary traditions. The cuisine differs from north to south, yet what is it that makes Indian food recognizably Indian, and how did it get that way? To answer those questions, Colleen and her recently released book “Feasts and Fasts: History of Food in India” examine the diet of the Indian subcontinent for thousands of years, describing the country’s cuisine in the context of its religious, moral, social, and philosophical development. After the break, Colleen talks about India’s beliefs in food as medicine as it pertains to Ayurveda plus much more. This program was brought to you by Underground Meats. “One vegetable that’s played a key role in Indian cuisine is the eggplant…in my research I kept coming across the eggplant, probably because of its ability to absorb flavors.” [4:05] “Very few Indians are vegans, so dairy products are always a part of people’s diets.” [14:10] “Someone could write book after book on Indian sweets!” [26:20] —Colleen Taylor Sen on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is taking a trip on the Trans-Siberian Railway with author Sharon Hudgins. Sharon has traveled along this particular railway numerous times and worked for University of Maryland University College for 20 years, primarily as a professor in the university’s programs in Germany, Spain, Greece, Japan, Korea, and Russia. She also served as UMUC’s program administrator at two universities in Siberia and the Russian Far East, and today chats with Linda about the evolution of the Trans-Siberian Railway dining car from the initial journeys to the practice today. After the break, Sharon shares facts about the food vendors that passengers would see across the long journey via station stops and also how the train line has endured through historic events like both World Wars, the Cold War, as well as the current political environment in Russia. Ever wondered the background behind the term ‘mystery meat?’ Tune in to find out and hear all about this legendary train trek. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “There wasn’t a single train called the Trans-Siberian Express, a whole lot of people think there was this one great big legendary train, but it was the route was legendary.” [14:00] “The real point of the the Trans-Siberian Railway is that it was the only way to get across Russia… all the way across the country.” [16:55] —Sharon Hudgins on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is delving into the pages of culinary history, wondering how the working-class ate at the turn of the century. Dr. Katherine Leonard Turner joins Linda via phone, adding to the discussion interesting facts and thoughts brought up in her book “How the Other Half Ate: A History of the Working-Class Meals at the Turn oft he Century.” She explains that at this time, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, working-class Americans had eating habits that were distinctly shaped by jobs, families, neighborhoods, and the tools, utilities, as well as size of their kitchens—along with their cultural heritage. Tune in for a thorough look at food and meals for the common man. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Photo via Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market Lewis Hine, Library of Congress “Certainly working class people’s cooking facilities were much much behind at this time. When the middle class had gas stoves the working class had wood and coal burning stoves… It’s a lot of upkeep and maintenance just to run coal stoves, and their kitchens aren’t separate from their homes.” [10:00] “Urban working people are eating on the street, bar, push cart, cafeterias that sound more like where Americans eat today.” [20:00] —Dr. Katherine Leonard Turner on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Ciao! This week on a brand new episode of A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is chatting with one of America’s foremost authorities on Italian food, Julia della Croce. She is the author of over 13 cooking and travel books, notably “Italian Home Cooking: 125 Recipes to Comfort Your Soul” and “The Classic Italian Cookbook.” In the past decades, traditional Italian home cooking has seemingly gone to the wayside with dining in restaurants in Italy today being much different than traditional home cooking. True Italian food differs from region to region, says Julia, who emphasizes that this is imperative to the cuisine as a whole and that the food is truly tied to the land. After the break, Julia gives her thoughts on the ‘authenticity’ of Italian recipes as well as the cooking classes she leads. Tune in for a wonderful episode! This program has been brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “Italian cooking really is home cooking. The traditions I’m talking about began in the home, not in the restaurants. The restaurants just carried out the recipes found at home… The restaurant is a relatively new concept in Italy.” [4:19] “Traditional Italian cooking is all about two things: ingredients, which are local… and the other thing is the skill of a homemaker who today would be a great grandmother.” [8:15] “Here I am in this little town in Puglia that no one goes to, off the beaten path, and I can’t find parsley but I can find all the Pringles I want!” [17:30] —Julia della Croce on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on a brand new episode of A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio kicks off 2015 talking to Dr. Kimberly Wilmot Voss, author of “The Food Section: Newspaper Women and the Culinary Community.” Linda and Kim discuss how food blogs are everywhere today but that for generations, information and opinions about food were found in the food sections of newspapers in communities large and small. Until the early 1970s, these sections were housed in the women’s pages of newspapers—where women could hold an authoritative voice. The food editors—often a mix of trained journalist and home economist—reported on everything from nutrition news to features on the new chef in town. The food sections actually helped make James Beard and Julia Child household names as the editors wrote about their television appearances and reviewed their cookbooks. Tune in to this interesting episode to learn all about the evolution of food journalism and more! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “The food sections in the 1950s and 1960s show that we had a more complex relationship with food than had previously been described.” [2:15] “At the heart, many of these women were journalists… many were actually very poor cooks and some journalists didn’t want to be considered cooks.” [24:10] —Dr. Kimberly Wilmot Voss on A Taste of the PastSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.