Good Food
The Brass Sisters; Zen Baking; The Food Snob's Dictionary
We cook up the past using abandoned recipes of long ago, get inspiration for an Asian-themed Thanksgiving and bake with a Zen state of mind. We don’t cook meat, but we do find succulent pork sandwiches. Plus, we deconstruct the “food snob” and go on a culinary journey from Beijing to San Francisco with the birth mother of authentic Chinese cuisine.
By Evan Kleiman • • 1h 0m ListenThe Brass Sisters cook up the past using abandoned recipes of long ago, while Saveur editor James Oseland shares Asian-inspired Thanksgiving ideas and Zen priest and chef Edward Espe Brown bakes with a Zen state of mind. Former line cooks Alex Brown and Evan Georgedon’t cook meat, however, writer Laurel Fantauzzo goes on a quest to find succulent pork sandwiches. Plus, authors David Kamp and Marion Rosenfeld deconstruct "the food snob" and birth mother of authentic Chinese cuisine Cecilia Chiang remembers her culinary journey by way of The Mandarin. And as always, Laura Avery serves up a fresh Market Report.
In this episode
8 storiesThe Market Report
Laura Avery speaks with the Fruit Detective David Karp about the avocado season in Southern California. Right now, the only avocados in season are the Mexicola variety, which is a root stock that not many people grow. It's very thin purple-black skin can be eaten when the fruit is soft. The taste is slightly watery with an anise note.
Read the story7 minThe Brass Sisters
Food historians Marilynn and Sheila Brass cook up the past by using abandoned recipes of long ago in their book, Heirloom Baking . The Brass Sisters have amassed a collection of heirloom recipes that transcend the ingredients to become living histories of the people who created them.
Read the story7 minAsian-Themed Thanksgiving
Saveur magazine's editor-in-chief James Oseland shares Asian-inspired Thanksgiving ideas.
Read the story7 minHow To Cook Your Life
Edward Espe Brown believes that cooking can be a meditative experience. A Zen priest and chef, he prepares food according to the principles of Zen Buddhism. Practitioners find that this attention to detail and precise hand movements allows the brain to let go and experience true meditation, thereby reaching enlightenment.
Read the story7 minHot Knives
Rather than cook with meat, the bloggers known as Hot Knives use their sharp knives to spread the hearty joys of vegetarianism. Alex Brown and Evan George are former line cooks who met while working in their college mess hall. Evan challenged Alex to become a vegetarian for a week and Alex never looked back. You can videocast them as well.
Read the story7 minPork Sandwiches
New York-based freelance writer Laurel Fantauzzo goes on a personal quest to find the best succulent pork sandwiches.
Read the story7 minThe Food Snob's Dictionary
There are foodies and then there are food snobs. David Kamp and Marion Rosenfeld deconstruct this food-obsessed creature in The Food Snob's Dictionary . Whether you're a food snob or just a foodie, you'll enjoy an intriguing food and wine festival taking place this weekend.
Read the story7 minThe Seventh Daughter
With the assistance of co-author Lisa Weiss, Cecilia Chiang recounts her culinary journey from Beijing to San Francisco in The Seventh Daughter . The 'birth mother' of authentic Chinese cuisine and founder of The Mandarin, Chiang continues to consult for popular Bay Area restaurants.
Read the story7 min
