LA's Street Food History, the Hangtown Fry, Corn Wars

Hosted by Evan Kleiman Aug. 22, 2015 Food & Drink

Writer Farley Elliott provides a history of LA's street food from tameleros to taco trucks and historian Libby O'Connell shares the curious backstory of the Hangtown Fry. Plus, we learn how Iowa's agri-tech corn fields became a target for foreign espionage.

Photo: Image from Farley Elliott's book Los Angeles Street Food: A History from Tamaleros to Taco Trucks. (Julia A. Reed)

From this Episode:

Los Angeles Street Food: A History from Tamaleros to Taco Trucks

Farley Elliott is senior editor at Eater LA and a longtime food, drink and travel writer. In his new book, Los Angeles Street Food: A History from Tamaleros to Taco Trucks...

8 min

LA Scores with Bon Appétit's Hot Ten

Every August Bon Appétit releases their Hot Ten: America's Best New Restaurants . This year Los Angeles landed two restaurants on the top ten list: Gjusta at number two...

8 min

The Evolution of American Cuisine and Culture

Libby O'Connell is chief historian for the History Channel and author of several books. Her new book, The American Plate: A Culinary History in 100 Bites , catalogs our...

8 min

Pie, Sweat, and Tears with Jillian Michaels

Jillian Michaels is best known as the original trainer on The Biggest Loser. As a onetime overweight kid, she says her personal history with pie runs deep.

2 min

Corn Wars: A Tale of Espionage, Intrigue and Agriculture

Despite its remarkable landmass, China simply cannot grow enough food to feed itself. Water shortages and lack of arable terrain have forced their government to buy between...

16 min

Jonathan Gold Reviews Sāmbār

Jonathan Gold is the Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer for the LA Times. This week he reviews Sāmbār , Akasha Richmond's Indian-inspired restaurant in Culver City. He...

6 min

Market Report

Santa Monica Farmers' Market manager Laura Avery talks with chef David Lefevre of MB Post , Fishing with Dynamite and the recently opened The Arthur J in Manhattan...

7 min