Good Food
Diet Fads; Seed Saving in the American South; Five Second Rule
Chef Sean Brock discusses his quest to revitalize heirloom varieties of rice and grain from the American South. Harold McGee dissects the five second rule.
By Evan Kleiman • • 57m ListenChef Celestino Drago has done it again. Jonathan Gold reviews his latest restaurant, Osteria Drago, located on the Sunset Strip. Writer Maria Balinska outlines the history of the bagel, and chef Mourad Lahlou warns us never to boil fresh couscous. Food scientist Harold McGee dissects the "five second rule" and etiquette maven Helena Echlin tells us when it's appropriate to eat with your fingers. Have you ever heard of The Amazing Mackerel Pudding Plan? Wendy McClure recounts that and other 1970's diet fads. Plus, South Carolina chef Sean Brock discusses seed saving and rebuilding heirloom varieties of rice and grain in the American South, and cookbook author Jeanne Kelly talks us through salad for dinner. At the market, Stefano De Lorenzo of La Botte is buying grapes to make raisins for his pasta dishes and Alex from Adams Olives Ranch says green olives are back at the market.
Banner image: Peach Melba, Mexican Shrimp-Orange Salad and Inspiration Soup (Weight Watchers ® Recipe Cards)
In this episode
9 storiesMarket Report
Chef Stefano De Lorenzo of La Botte in Santa Monica is shopping for heirloom tomatoes, grapes and oxtail at the Santa Monica Farmers' Market. He uses fresh tomato water instead of regular water to make his pasta dough. He then braises the oxtail in its own juices to create a tender sauce for his pasta.
Read the story7 minCelestino Drago Does It Again
Jonathan Gold visits Osteria Drago located on the Sunset Strip in West Hollywood. He says that seafood is the way to go at Osteria Drago and recommends the sapori di mare, squid ink pasta, sauteed dover sole, veal chop and the spinach pasta.
Read the story6 minThe History of the Bagel
Maria Balinska samples a bit of the history of the bagel in her book, The Bagel : The Surprising History of a Modest Bread.
Read the story7 minCouscous from Scratch
Mourad Lahlou is the chef at Aziza in San Francisco, where he and his staff make fresh couscous every day. Couscous is a Moroccan dish made by rolling semolina granules into small pellets. Unlike pasta, couscous must be steamed rather than boiled. Handmade couscous can take as much as five hours to cook.
Read the story6 minDissecting the Five Second Rule
You drop a tasty cookie on the floor. Shouting, "Five seconds!" you frantically pick it up, blow on it and pop it in your mouth –- with the notion that if something touches the floor for less than five seconds, it's still clean and safe to eat.
Read the story6 minEating with Your Fingers
Helena Echlin , former etiquette maven for Chow.com , dishes advice about using fingers as utensils. She explains which foods can be eaten with your fingers and whether it's appropriate to lick them.
Read the story5 min1970's Diet Fads
Wendy McClure discovers odd diet foods in her book, The Amazing Mackerel Pudding Plan : Classic Diet Recipe Cards from the 1970's. She found Weight Watchers recipe cards while cleaning her parents' basement.
Read the story7 minSeed Saving in the American South
Sean Brock is the executive chef of Husk and McCrady's restaurants in Charleston, South Carolina. He is working with a professor at the University of South Carolina and Glenn Roberts of Anson Mills to grow heirloom varieties of rice and other crops from the antebellum South.
Read the story7 minSalad for Dinner
Jeanne Kelly is the author of Salad for Dinner : Complete Meals for All Seasons. Find a recipe from the book on the Good Food blog .
Read the story7 min
