Eat Your Words Presents: Saved by the Bellini

Editors are the unseen heroes of the publishing world, offering critical behind-the-scenes feedback that can take an author’s work from good to spectacular. Amanda has not only been John’s editor for both Saved by the Bellini and Drink What You Want, she’s also a dear friend. Here they chat about Amanda’s start in publishing, her editing process, and why she chose to focus on cookbooks. 

Eat Your Words  Presents: Saved by the Bellin...

Julie Reiner is one of John’s bar heroes. Although he never formally worked for her, she had a tremendous impact on his career. In the course of his research for Saved by the Bellini, he came across a New York Times article from 2000 in which Julie was quoted for her Appletini recipe. Listen to them chat about Julie’s favorite Appletini spec and dive deeper into the actual bartending conditions in the 90s. (Spoiler alert: they were...

One of the most interesting references in Saved by the Bellini is to Melrose Place, the Beverly Hills 90210 spinoff that was one of the first primetime network shows to feature a gay character. Unbeknownst to many viewers at the time, Mel Chin led a group of conceptual artists to quietly install props into the show that referenced various societal issues like racism, alcohol use, and reproductive health. Here John interviews Mel ab...

A significant portion of Saved by the Bellini is devoted to the iconic movies that defined the decade. A few years before writing Saved by the Bellini, John read Best. Movie. Year. Ever: How 1999 Blew Up the Big Screen by journalist Brian Raftery. Listen to hear just how much of an impact Brian’s book had on John’s writing process, Brian’s reflections on journalism in the 90s, and why 1999 is the most “90s” year of the 90s. 

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John’s exploration of the world of Saved by the Bellini takes a turn towards drinks this episode with a conversation with legendary bartender Toby Cecchini, the inventor of the iconic Cosmopolitan recipe. Hear them chat about the wild backstory of the Comopolitan’s disputed authorship, Madonna’s nickname for him, and what bartending was actually like in the 1990s.

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This summer we're presenting something special on the Eat Your Words feed. This show has always been about exploring and celebrating the people and processes behind your favorite cookbooks. Over the course of the next 7 episodes, we're going deep with one author and their most recent work. 

Our host is John deBary, semi-retired bartender and author of the Drink What You Want. Saved by the Bellini  is his latest cocktail book, and as...

For the season finale of Eat Your Words, Cathy dials up Lara Lee, whose acclaimed new book celebrates Indonesian cuisine. Hear how Lara's fond memories of cooking with her grandmother inspired her to explore her food and culture more, and how Indonesian cooking can be replicated anywhere in the world. Finally, we'll discuss 2020 in food media and lessons learned from an incredibly difficult year for all.

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We can thank Jason Wang for expanding the tastes of New Yorkers and the rest of the world through his popular and influential small chain, Xi'an Famous Foods, specializing in the cuisine of Western China. And his new cookbook, also called Xi'an Famous Foods, is destined to be a classic. Hear Jason on how it all came together, and how his restaurants are coping given the ongoing pandemic.

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Cathy dials up Meera Sodha, bestselling author (and The Guardian’s vegan columnist) to chat about her latest cookbook. We talk about how her book thoughtfully incorporates the cuisines of many Asian countries, and how Meera collaborated with the home cooks and chefs she met on her culinary journeys. We'll also hear about some of Meera's favorites from the book's 120 vegan and vegetarian recipes, which include the likes of Mushroom ...

Cathy welcomes Darin and Greg Bresnitz, the hosts of the podcast Snacky Tunes on HRN, and authors of a new cookbook on food and music also called Snacky Tunes: Music is the Main Ingredient. The authors share the fun behind-the-scenes of working on the book, which includes recipes from acclaimed chefs around the globe including May Chow, Pooja Dhingra, Alex Atala, and more.

Photo Courtesy of Phaidon.

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Cathy chats with Chase Purdy, a reporter for Quartz and POLITICO who has covered the business and technology of food. His new book, Billion Dollar Burger,  

explores the bright promise of cell-cultured meat and the political regulations it’s up against by following the Silicon Valley startup closest to bringing this advanced idea to reality.

In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the countr...

Cathy calls up Dr. Marcia Chatelain, scholar, speaker and Professor at Georgetown University whose latest book, Franchise, examines the intersection of the post-1968 civil rights struggle and the rise of fast food industry. Marcia talks about how the fast food industry targeted Black communities, leading to a troubling success story of an industry in the wake of a freedom movement.

Photo Courtesy of Marcia Chatelain.

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Cathy chats with Chris Smith, author of The Whole Okra, which won the 2020 James Beard Award in the Reference, History, and Scholarship category. This is NC-based garden writer Chris Smith's first book and shares a rich collection of okra history, lore, recipes from celebrated chefs, growing advice, and much more.

In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows from our homes all around the country. It was hard work steppin...

Cathy catches up with Eve Turow Paul, the author Hungry: Avocado Toast, Instagram Influencers, and Our Search for Connection and Meaning. Eve has been on the show before to discuss her previous book, A Taste of Generation Yum, and she follows up her research on millennial food trends with her new book, which explores how social media and other technology affects our desires.

In March, HRN began producing all of our 35 weekly shows f...

Cathy calls up Charlotte Druckman, food writer and cookbook author whose latest book is Kitchen Remix: 75 Recipes for Making the Most of Your Ingredients. Hear how the book's themes of resourcefulness strikes a chord with home cooks during quarantine, and learn a few simple tricks you can do at home. Also discussed is Women in Food, an anthology of essays and anecdotes by women in the food world, which Druckman edited.

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