Good Food
Matzo Balls; Eating Dirt; Mexican Food in the USA
We're making matzo balls for our Passover seder and learning about Kosher food in France. Plus a look at Pica, the uncontrollable urge to eat dirt.
By Evan Kleiman • • 58m ListenThis week on Good Food, we're getting ready for Passover. Host Evan Kleiman and Chef Ilan Hall of The Gorbals compare notes on matzo balls. Celebrated chef Joan Nathan investigates Kosher food in France. We'll also look into Pica, the uncontrollable urge to eat dirt, starch and ice, with Dr. Sera Young. Jonathan Gold takes us out for Singaporean food. Plus, Gustavo Arellano takes us to Mitla Cafe, the oldest Mexican restaurant in the Inland Empire. Their food is emblematic of Cal-Mex cuisine. And, Chef Michael Cimarusti has some ideas for what to do with asparagus.
In this episode
6 storiesMarket Report
Michael Cimarusti the chef/owner at Providence (5955 Melrose Ave.). He just received his third James Beard Award nomination for Best Chef, Pacific region. He is buying Zuckerman Farms' jumbo aspargus at the Farmers Market. He shared three different cooking methods, which are outlined here .
Read the story9 minMatzo Balls
Ilan Hall is the chef/owner of The Gorbals (501 S. Spring St.). Matzo balls are traditionally made with matzo meal, eggs and schmaltz (chicken fat) (recipe here ). For his restaurant, Ilan makes his with pork fat and wraps them in bacon. A recipe for vegan matzo balls is here .
Read the story9 minKosher Food in France
Joan Nathan's book is Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Kosher Food in France . A recipe for Vegan Matzo Balls is here .
Read the story10 minEating Dirt
Dr. Sera Young is a faculty member in the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University and Reproductive Infectious Disease Fellow at UCSF. Her book is Craving Earth: Understanding Pica-- the Urge to Eat Clay, Starch, Ice and Chalk . Pregnant women usually engage in Pica, or those with nutritional deficiencies.
Read the story11 minThe Spice Table
Jonathan Gold is the Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer for the LA Weekly. This week, he reviews The Spice Table , the new Singaporean restaurant from Bryan Ng, a former chef at Mozza. He likes the black pepper crab, the curry laksa, the deep-fried cauliflower, the grilled beef tripe and the sambal potatoes.
Read the story8 minCal-Mex Food
Gustavo Arellano is the Managing Editor of the OC Weekly where he reviews restaurants and writes the popular Ask a Mexican column. Today, he visits Mitla Cafe , the oldest restaurant in the Inland Empire. It serves Cal-Mex food, which is style of Mexican food seen in most of the U.S.
Read the story12 min
