A Taste of the Past

It’s Halloween on A Taste of the Past at the HRN studios! Host Linda Pelaccio welcomes historic gastronomist and blogger, Sarah Lohman, and together they talk about the history of Halloween, trick-or-treating, superstitions, costumes, Halloween cakes, and more! Learn more about the origins behind the Halloween tradition as Sarah takes us through the history from the very beginning. Also tune-in to learn about trick-or-treating, and how the custom has changed in recent years. Lastly, find out how those small treats known as candy corn (which Sarah makes at home) have become a tradition, and even how to make a batch for yourself! This program has been sponsored by International Culinary Center. “The pre-text of this holiday was a night for people to loosen up a little bit.” [12:00] “Halloween is this holiday of pure fun. It’s about going and having fun whether you’re a child or an adult.” [16:30] — Sarah Lohman 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.

On today’s episode of A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio talks about the huge craze that surrounds fried foods: fried chicken! The guest on today’s show is Michael Twitty, culinary historian of African and African American foods. What makes each fried chicken dish so special? Learn more about the history behind fried chicken, it’s many cultural influences, and what truly makes fried chicken the comfort food for so many. Also find out about Michael’s latest project, The Cooking Gene, which aims to promote greater awareness of African American contributions to the development of Southern cuisine, promote community service and development, support the local economies of Southern communities and African American food producers, and encourage a dialogue that leads to racial reconciliation and healing in communities whose history and culture is a legacy of slavery and the slave trade. Lastly, Tonya Hopkins, The Food Griot, talks about Edna Lewis, and how she has inspired American cuisine today. Also listen to a recent panel at the New School, discussing Chef Edna Lewis at the link below. ( http://youtu.be/J0A3Ba9OhtA) This program has been sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons “When I make chicken, for me it’s always a transformative, transcendent and ritual experience.” [8:43] “That’s the thing that excites me. We just don’t tell these stories enough.” [22:35] — Michael Twitty on A Taste of the Past “Griot means storyteller. I see the world through the lens of food, and therefore I am food storyteller, or the food griot. [25:10]” — Tonya Hopkins 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.

Rachel Laudan is taking a culinary approach to world history in her book, Cuisine & Emire! This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio talks with Rachel about the influences of medicine, politics, and religion on cuisine throughout the ages. Learn about humorism, and how this system of belief affected the food that ancient people ate. Find out what agricultural products different religious groups relied on across Eurasia. Why are most cuisines based in grain? Tune in to learn about the New World exploration, and how that inequitable culinary exchange altered the food ways of continents. Where does the United States fit into the culinary landscape? Find out all of this and more on this week’s edition of A Taste of the Past. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. Music by SNOWMINE. “We now expect only one cuisine to every nation. All you have to do is look at the cookbook section in the bookstore to get this idea.” [4:45] “Everybody now can eat the same kinds of cuisine. In the past, there was a huge distinction between high and humble cuisines.” [15:10] — Rachel Laudan 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.

On today’s episode of A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio welcomes Anya Von Bremzen, author, journalist, food writer, and contributing editor of Travel + Leisure magazine, into the studio for a talk about food, and the history of traditional Soviet dishes. Anya also talks about her latest book, Mastering the Art of Soviet Cooking: A Memoir of Food and Longing. In the book, Anya tells the gripping story of three Soviet generations—masterfully capturing the strange mix of idealism, cynicism, longing, and terror that defined Soviet life. On the show, Anya and Linda also welcome Anya’s mother, Larisa Frumkina, as she speaks about food history, Russian literature, and various traditional dishes. Tune-in for a truly interesting episode into the history of the USSR and the Russian dishes. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. “Bread was something was almost always available. It was something almost sacred.” — Anya Von Bremzen on A Taste of the Past “For me, food history starts with Russian literature.” — Larisa Frumkina 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.

On today’s episode of A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio speaks with special guest Mollie Katzen, known throughout the culinary world as one of the best-selling cookbook authors of all time. A 2007 inductee into the James Beard Cookbook Hall of Fame—and largely credited with moving plant-based cuisine from the fringe to the center of the American dinner plate—Katzen has been named by Health Magazine as one of The Five Women Who Changed the Way We Eat, and she has been a member of the faculty at Healthy Kitchens, Healthy Lives, the groundbreaking annual symposium co-hosted by The Culinary Institute of America and the Harvard School of Public Health, since its inception. Today’s topic on the show includes the evolution of vegetarian cuisine, and how Mollie has taken the rise of vegetarian popularity to even further heights. Her latest cookbook, The Heart of the Plate, completely reinvents the vegetarian repertoire, unveiling a collection of beautiful, healthful, and unfussy dishes — her “absolutely most loved.” Whether it’s a salad of kale and angel hair pasta with orange chili oil or a seasonal autumn lasagna, these dishes are celebrations of vegetables. Tune-in to learn more! This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. “A lot of vegetarian food isn’t actually about vegetables. In some ways it’s actually about meat, and how you swap things out.” [9:50] “It’s so much easier to make a dish that is focused on the vegetable. It’s so enjoyable!” [23:50] — Mollie Katzen 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.

Linda Pelaccio visits The Fabulous Beekman Boys at their farm to discuss The Beekman 1802 Heirloom Dessert Cookbook on this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past! Tune into this program to learn about the nostalgic properties of family recipes, and what makes an “heirloom” dessert. Hear how Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell relied on their hometowns in North Carolina and Wisconsin for regional inspiration. Find out about the history of Beekman, New York, and why it’s the perfect setting for a new handmade culinary resurgence! Hear about some of the specific recipes from the book, as well as the Beekman Boys’ artisanal production endeavors! To learn more about Linda’s visit with The Beekman Boys, visit HandPicked Nation. Thanks to our sponsor, BluePrint Cleanse. “What family doesn’t have that one dessert that your mother or grandmother makes that everyone loves?” [2:00] “With Southern recipes, you don’t actually cook anything. You take Nilla wafers, cover them in whipped cream, and put them in the fridge for two hours!” [4:55] — The Beekman Boys 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.

Betty Crocker is not, and never was, a real person – but that doesn’t change the effect she had on generations of people in America. Learn more about the history of the iconic Betty Crocker on this episode of A Taste of the Past! Linda Pelaccio is joined by Susan Marks, author of Finding Better Crocker. Discover the many faces of the marketing genius that is Betty Crocker – from her early radio and television personalities, to her picture cookbooks. Hear how her image shifted from motherly to friendly as General Mills tried to ensure that the masses would feel comfortable with Betty. If you’ve ever leafed through a Betty Crocker cookbook or made cake with the famous mix, tune in and hear the entire story behind the fictitious homemaker. This program was sponsored by Whole Foods. Thanks to The California Honeydrops for today’s break music. “Betty Crocker was on the cutting edge of radio, and was on television too. There were always contests and coupons – especially if you wrote to Betty. If you had a question for Betty, it was guaranteed that it would be answered.” [11:00] “Real people are fallible- corporate icons are not. Real women have egos- and sometimes, like in the case of Martha Stewart – they even end up in jail.” [21:00] — Susan Marks 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.

Learn about the social and economic implications of the supermarket on this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past. Linda Pelaccio talks with University of Minnesota History Professor Dr. Tracey Deutsch about “building a housewives’ paradise.” Tune into this program to learn about the inception of the supermarket as an American institution in the 1930s. Find out how supermarkets aimed to appeal to women through their interior design, layout, and overall aesthetic. How did local food pricing regulations cause some grocery stores to fail, and others to thrive? Tune into this episode to learn how issues of gender, class, and race are tied up in the success of the American supermarket. This program has been brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Today’s music has been provided by Pamela Royal. “The very first supermarkets did feature super low prices… They were hugely popular, but then many of them went out of business. If you cut your prices too low, you’re not going to be able to stay in business!” [11:10] “Having predictable sales became more important to these larger stores.” [26:15] — Dr. Tracey Deutsch 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.

Most of us eat breakfast every day, but we rarely think of the the origins behind the meal. From etymology to cultural history – go deeper behind breakfast on this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past as Linda Pelacchio is joined by author of “Breakfast, A History”, Heather Arndt Anderson. Hear how the grab-and-go approach for breakfast has maintained over time and why grains have proven to be so important not only in the meal but in human evolution at large. Discover the early days of the Kellogg brothers as they searched a product that was easy to chew and ended up revolutionizing the way we eat breakfast. From corn to dairy and coffee to cocktails, dig deep into breakfast on A Taste of the Past. This program was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Break music provided courtesy of Cookies. “Breakfast was always a grab and go meal and that’s a trend that’s maintained over time.” [6:00] “In the Renaissance, egg cookery was a pretty big deal. They found hundreds of new ways to cook eggs.” [21:00] “Because of poor water quality in the Middle Ages, small beer was the most common beverage during breakfast.” [24:00] –Heather Arndt Anderson 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.

What foods were historical figures like Emily Dickinson, Benjamin Franklin, and Leonardo Da Vinci eating during their lifetimes? On this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio chats with Tori Avey- author and food writer- and the editor and curator of TheHistoryKitchen.com! Tori, who also serves as the chair for the IACP Food History Section, became interested in history through her grandparents, and was always fascinated by the kitchen. Hear how Tori combined her two loves by researching Jewish cuisine, and how that research fueled TheHistoryKitchen.com. Later, hear Linda and Tori talk about the importance of referencing primary sources in culinary history. Follow the recipe below to bake one of Emily Dickinson’s favorite cakes! This program has been sponsored by White Oak Pastures. Thanks to Four Lincolns for today’s music. “It’s really important that the research be solid on the site. I have open comments; I want readers to be able to interact with the content.” [9:45] “One of the things that really fascinates me is connecting to a historical person and seeing what they were eating or cooking.” [12:50] — Tori Avey on A Taste of the Past ————————————- Emily Dickinson’s Coconut Cake 2 cups flour 1 tsp cream of tartar + 1/2 tsp baking soda OR 1 1/2 tsp baking powder 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 2 eggs 1/2 cup milk 1 cup shredded coconut Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour and cream of tartar + baking soda OR baking powder. I used my antique sifter to get in the “Emily Dickinson” mood. In a medium mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together till the mixture is light and fluffy, and the sugar is well incorporated into the butter. I did this by hand, the old fashioned way, like Emily Dickinson would have. It took several minutes. You can do it much faster with an electric mixer. Mix in the eggs, then the milk. Add liquid ingredients to dry and stir till just incorporated. A thick batter will form. Do not overmix. Fold in the shredded coconut. If your shredded coconut is dry (not fresh), rehydrate it with a little warm water and drain well before mixing it into the batter. Again, don’t overmix. Spread the batter into a small loaf pan. Bake the cake for 50-60 minutes on the middle rack of your oven till cooked through and golden brown around the edges. Test with a skewer or toothpick for doneness in a few places– if the toothpick comes out clean (no wet batter sticking to it), it’s done. The cake is not overly sweet, which was perfect for me (I don’t like my desserts too sweet). If you want to sweeten it up, use a bit more sugar, or use sweetened coconut instead of regular coconut. Enjoy!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.