Good Food
The Bialetti Moka Express, Stinging Wild Nettles, Ag-Gag Laws
This week, we pay homage to the man whose ashes were buried in one of his signature stove-top coffee makers. At the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, chefs and farmers are talking up stinging nettles. We also travel to farm country to hear about new ag-gag laws on the books.
By Evan Kleiman • • 58m ListenPhoto: Arek Olek
In this episode
7 storiesTake a ride on the Bialetti Moka Express
The man who turned an aluminum stove-top espresso maker into a kitchen staple has died. Renato Bialetti was 93. Bialetti's ashes were buried in one of his signature Moka Express pots at his funeral earlier this month. For a brief history lesson on Bialetti and his iconic coffee machine, we turn to Jeffrey Schnapp .
Read the story12 minThe rise of Latino coffeehouses in LA
The Moka Express is an Italian invention. But half the world's top 10 coffee producing countries are in Latin America. To meet the demand in Los Angeles, several specialty coffee hot-spots owned and operated by Latinos have opened their doors. Food and travel writer Valentina Silva covered it for The Guardian .
Read the story9 minEmbracing the sting of nettles at the farmers market
If guava pastries and lonches de lomo aren't your thing, we bet you can find something to eat at your local farmers' market. At the Santa Monica Farmers' Market, chefs and farmers are talking up stinging nettles this week.
Read the story8 minLet them eat galettes
This week, a film documenting the last years of Le Bec-Fin in Philadelphia and its passionate chef, George Perrier, is being screened at movie theaters in LA, New York and Philadelphia. We talk to director Erika Frankel about the documentary, King Georges , and hear from Chef Perrier about life after Le Bec-Fin.
Read the story9 minJonathan Gold dines at The Bellwether
The next time you've got the urge for a patty melt on rye with taleggio cheese and sweet caramelized onions, or some meatballs baked with tomato and ricotta that are served with great grilled bread, head to The Bellwether in Studio City. Tell them Jonathan Gold , the Pulitzer-Prize winning food writer for the LA Times sent you.
Read the story5 minHere's your ag-gag update
Earlier this month, the New York Times published an op-ed that took a stand against legislation that makes it illegal to videotape or record footage on farms and in slaughterhouses. Critics of these regulations call them ag-gag laws. Peggy Lowe , investigations editor for Harvest Public Media, tells us about some of the new laws on the books.
Read the story9 minA mixtape from Madhur Jaffrey
To close out this week's show, we play some music that inspires Indian cookbook author Madhur Jaffrey in the kitchen. Jaffrey shared her playlist with KCRW's Aaron Byrd for the Guest DJ Project . Music: "The Way You Look Tonight" by Frank Sinatra, as part of Madhur Jaffrey's Guest DJ set
Read the story4 min
