Good Food
Automats; The Seltzer Man; Food on the Next Mission to Mars
Revisit the bygone days of the automat and home seltzer delivery. Plus, find out what's on the menu for the next mission to Mars.
By Evan Kleiman • • 57m ListenRemember the automat? What about the seltzer man? Historian Rebecca Federman and seltzer man Walter Backerman remind us of the bygone era of Horn & Hardart's automats and home seltzer delivery. Jonathan Gold reviews two new imports from Japan, both located in Japanese food courts. Michelle Perchonok tells us what's on the menu for a mission to Mars in the 2030's and food writer Peter Kaminsky outlines how to eat well and lose weight at the same time. Plus, Gustavo Arellano takes us out for Central Vietnamese charcuterie in Westminster. At the farmers' market, Laura Avery talks to chefs Kris Tominaga and Brian Dunsmoor about their new restaurant, The Hart and the Hunter, and farmer Barbara Spencer highlights some of her favorite heirloom apple varieties.
Banner image; Automat, 977 Eighth Avenue, Manhattan. Berenice Abbott. Gelatin silver print, 1936. Photo: NYPL, The Miriam and Ira D. Wallach Division of Art, Prints and Photographs
In this episode
7 storiesFood on Mars
Michele Perchonok is NASA's Advanced Food Technology Program Manager. She outlines what will be on the menu for a mission to Mars in the 2030's. Music: "O Green World" by Gorillaz
Read the story1 minCulinary Intelligence
Peter Kaminsky is a celebrated food writer who lives in New York City. His latest book is Culinary Intelligence : The Art of Eating Healthy (And Really Well).
Read the story1 minMarket Report
Chefs Kris Tominaga and Brian Dunsmoor recently opened The Hart and the Hunter in the Pali Hotel . They're shopping for heirloom apples and radishes from Windrose Farms for their fried chicken liver salad . Barbara Spencer is the owner of Windrose Farms . She grows 45 heirloom apple varieties on her farm in Paso Robles.
Read the story1 minTwo Reasons to Visit a Food Court
This week Jonathan Gold reviews two restaurants, both situated in Japanese food courts. He visits Iroha Ramen in the Marukai Market in Gardena which sells only three types of ramen - white, red and black. He also visits Hannosuke in Mitsuwa Market in Mar Vista. Hannosuke is known for tendon, which is tempura served over rice.
Read the story1 minVietnamese Charcuterie
Gustavo Arellano is the editor of the OC Weekly and a frequent guest on Good Food. He visits Huong Giang in Westminster for Central Vietnamese style cooking. Huong Giang 14564 Brookhurst St Westminster, CA 92683 714-531-4930 You can find all of Gustavo's restaurant suggestions on the Good Food restaurant map .
Read the story1 minThe Seltzer Man
Walter Backerman is a third-generation seltzer man. He maintains one of the only remaining seltzer delivery routes in New York City and the entire United States. See a short documentary about Backerman here and listen to his story on Radio Diaries here .
Read the story1 minThe Automat
Rebecca Federman is the Electronic Resources Coordinator at the New York Public Library. She discusses the library's current exhibition, Lunch Hour NYC , on view through February, 2013. Music: "La Valse" by Ben Mazue
Read the story1 min
