A Taste of the Past

Nigerian food writer and cookbook author Ozoz Sokoh describes the historical foodways and evolution of the cuisine of Nigeria and its regions. From her new book, CHOP CHOP:: Cooking the Food of Nigeria, Ozoz shares descriptions and background of many of the spices, ingredient combinations, and recipes of regional classics and contemporary dishes which have evolved over time. From indigenous nuts, seeds and salts to the col...

Monasteries, temples, mosques, and synagogues around the world preserve not only the world’s religions, but also cultural and culinary traditions, And those who cook in the kitchens of those sacred places—the sacred kitchens-- are the keepers of the flame, if you will, preserving the culinary heritage by cooking the traditional recipes and foods from their respective places. And they are culinary innovators, as well, keepi...

Peruvian gastronomy is one of the most diverse cuisines in the world, consisting of an extensive variety of distinctive dishes characteristic of each city in the country, stemming from the bio diversity of their agriculture. Robert Bradley, author of Eating Peru, talks about the history of the cuisine.

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From growing up in a Kibbutz, to a life in New York City where her work sits at the intersection of food, culture, community building, and art, landing her in a profile article in Vogue, Naama Shefi is a leader in promoting the foods of Israel and archiving the recipes of Jewish communities around the world. On this episode, we speak with Naama about her many projects, including the newest: a beautiful new book, The Jewish...

Drawing on Slow Food's Ark of Taste, a list of endangered foods throughout the world, culinary historian Sarah Lohman decided to look closer at the American local culinary traditions and rare, cherished foods that are in peril of becoming lost. She shares the stories of her travels and the people who work with these foods in her new book, Endangered Eating, and talks about them on this episode of A Taste of the Past.

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Based on years of observation, ethnographic fieldwork, and countless shared meals, mother and son Merry White and Ben Wurgaft explore how our foods reach our plates and how every bite is part of a complex web of social meaning and value. From the Venetian spice trade to the Columbian Exchange, from Roman garum to Vietnamese nớc chấm, from the origins of agriculture to contemporary debates over culinary authenticity, they u...

Fasting from food is a controversial, dangerous, and yet utterly normal human practice. Christine Baumgarthuber discusses our fascination with restrictive eating in cultural history from her new book, Why Fast? If fasting offers few health benefits, why do people fast? Why have we always fasted? Does fasting speak to something deep and immutable within us? Why are our bodies so well adapted to intermittent fasting? And, wh...

Lois Ellen Frank, Native foods historian, culinary anthropologist, and James Beard award winning cookbook author, joins Linda to talk about Native American foodways. She describes her teachings to Native American communities on how to "re-indigenize" their diets through the use of more plant based foods for a healthier lifestyle. Learning the ancestral techniques of gardening and cooking helps lead to food sovereignty and ...

What makes a national dish, and who decides? Food writer Anya Von Bremzen dives into the questions as she journeys to the heart of six of the world's most storied food traditions in search of how cuisine became connected to place and identity. It's all from her new book, "National Dish: Around the World in Search of Food, History and the Meaning of Home."

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Burger Scholar George Motz has spent decades researching, writing about, cooking, and eating America's favorite food: Hamburgers. His documentary film, Hamburger America, was recognized by the US National Archives as an integral part of American food history. On this episode, he shares the history of the burger and its variations across the country.

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Peanuts have a long history tied to indigenous South American people, early traders,and slavery. It was African slaves who brought the peanut to Virginia and planted and harvested the first crop. Some of those early harvesting techniques are now being preserved by a 4th generation peanut farmer and a 3rd generation peanut company. We learn how on this episode about peanuts.

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Restaurants come and go, but chefs move on because it’s their career, their art, and, hopefully, their passion. But what are the secrets that lead to success? Tools of the trade—the craft-- are often not taught in classroom along with the important techniques and fundamentals. Aspiring young cooks can learn so much more by working with and listening to seasoned chefs. Shari Bayer, a fellow podcaster here at HRN with her sh...

Cow’s milk in fluid drinking form was not introduced in America until the 17th century, and quickly gained popularity. Before long it was promoted as a science-backed dietary necessity even though a large portion of the population was lactose intolerant and could not digest it. Despite this, culinary historian and author Anne Mendelson chronicles the story of milk and unravels the myths and misconceptions surrounding its i...

Many of the foods brought by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe to New York have become some of the most iconic foods associated with New York City. Their popularity spread across the country and are often referred to as New York food. Author June Hersh joins Linda to discuss the history of many of these specialties which she has written about in her book, Iconic New York Jewish Food.

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Italy is a land of ancient cultures, the fibers of which are woven through its everyday modern culture. Nowhere is this more noticeable than on the many islands which dot the Mediterranean waters of its coastline. These islands were battlegrounds and places of refuge of ancient peoples for millennia. Today what is most evident from those ancient cultures is the culinary imprint that influences the various island cuisines. ...

Curry is a word imbued with many meanings and mixed emotions. From the time of colonialism, it was long used to describe Indian food in general, a term that often had derogatory connotations to those of Indian descent. Today, fortunately, we recognize the regionality and diversity of the cuisine of India. And yet, largely through slavery, the enigmatic dish curry remains one of the most global of dishes--despite its many g...

Taiwanese food is closely associated with Fujian and Japanese cuisine. There is a lot of braising, pickling, steaming, deep-frying, and noodles. Linda talks with Taiwanese-American food blogger, cookbook author, and podcaster Cathy Erway, to learn about the origins, influences, and nuances of the food of Taiwan.

Photo courtesy of Pete Lee.

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There was a time, beginning about 500 years ago, when aspic/gelatin represented the finest, most elite, five-star dining experience. Jello dishes—savory and sweet-- appeared in abundance in the following decades. However, as historian and author Ken Albala clearly points out, “Jello is among the best examples of a food that goes in and out of fashion." On this episode, Ken discusses the history and future of the slippery s...

Naomi Duguid has written fabulous books that are not only history and gastronomic adventures, but travelogues as well. In her newest work, she focuses on one ingredient--salt--and the essential role it has served for millennia in preserving, fermenting, and transforming food.

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