A Taste of the Past

You don't need anybody to tell you Chicago is a food city or to extol the virtues of chicken Vesuvio, deep dish pizza, a jibarito, South Side rid tips or a Vienna Beef hot dog (on a poppy seed bun, of course). Perhaps less well known is how Chicago's cuisine developed, or how the city became the first modern industrial food center, both of which are explored in Chicago: A Food Biography by Daniel R. Block and Howard Rosing. (Chicago Tribune) A fascinating food history of Chicago, revealing the reasons, many unexpected, why this city’s cuisine is so diverse and rich. An essential read for anyone interested in food and culinary history. (Jennifer McLagan, the author of award winning Bitter:A Taste of the World's Most Dangerous Flavor, with Recipes) An interesting foray into Chicago's influence on food and food's influence on Chicago. (Denese Neu, PhD, author of Chicago by the Pint: a Craft Beer History of the Windy City) Anyone interested in American food history must know a lot about the indispensable heart: Chicago. The nation’s historic food production and commodity distribution center, home to every ethnic food in America, Chicago always has been an innovative culinary center. How this came about is told in Block and Rosing’s well researched and engagingly written work. A complex story very well told, it is the best survey to date. (Bruce Kraig, co-editor, Food City: The Encyclopedia of Chicago Food and Man Bites Dog: Hot Dog Culture in America) Chicago: A Food Biography is as much a history of today’s industrial food system as a story of the evolving food culture of Chicago. While Chicago has been a melting pot for today’s food industry, the city has remained a veritable stew of ethnic cuisine. The book is a good read for anyone interested in food and a must read for anyone interested in both food and Chicago. (John E. Ikerd, professor emeritus, University of Missouri Columbia) Chicago’s food traditions are no less towering than the skyscrapers that define its skyline. Deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs loom large in the culinary landscape, as does the influence of Chicago chefs like Rick Bayless, Grant Achatz, and the late Charlie Trotter. In Chicago: A Food Biography, geographer Daniel R. Block and anthropologist Howard B. Rosing chronicle Chicago’s swift evolution from frontier town to food capital—a path paved by meat and corn, migration, and modern industrialization—and make a strong case for Chicago as the most American of cities. (Meryl Rosofsky, MD, writer and adjunct professor of Food Studies, New York University)See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

"While visions of sugarplums danced in their heads..." But, what exactly is a sugarplum? On the season finale of A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio is in studio with Michael Krondl and Cathy Kaufman discussing the history behind the sweets enjoyed throughout the holidays. Embarking on a great fruitcake debate, explaining the plethora of sweeteners used throughout the ages, as well as the origins of the infamous yule log and more, this episode covers it all!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio welcomes Lidia Bastianich to the studio discussing her newest book, "Lidia's Mastering the Art of Italian Cuisine: Everything You Need to Know to Be a Great Italian Cook." Teaching has always been Lidia’s passion, and in this magnificent book she shares the full benefit of that passion and of her deep, comprehensive understanding of what it takes to create delicious Italian meals. Lidia goes on to introduce the full range of standard ingredients—meats and fish, vegetables and fruits, grains, spices and condiments—and how to buy, store, clean, and cook with them. She also talks the comprehensive guide to the tools every kitchen should have to produce the best results. And she has even included a glossary of cuisine-related words and phrases that will prove indispensable for cooking, as well as for traveling and dining in Italy. There is no other book like this; it is the one book on Italian cuisine that every cook will need, and tune in to hear more straight from the source!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On a special episode A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio is joined by Cathy Kaufman, the managing editor of Savoring Gotham: Celebrating the Making of the Definitive Companion to New York City’s Food. New York City boasts the world’s most diverse, fascinating, and ground-breaking food scene. Whether dining in iconic or trend-setting restaurants, noshing on vibrant street food prepared by new immigrants, or filling one’s basket at markets catering to ethnic heritage or gourmet aspirations, New York City’s opportunities for cosmopolitan eating are unparalleled. New York also has pioneered solutions to complex issues, from launching farmers’ markets and tilling urban gardens be they in vacant lots or on pristine rooftopsto politically-charged battles over licensing laws, school food and soda sizes. Cathy Kaufman (Chair), aka, dictator-for-life, has been chair of CHNY since 2003. She is Senior Editor of Savoring Gotham and of the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America, and writes for many publications. She teaches culinary history at The New School and the Institute of Culinary Education and is the author of Cooking in Ancient Civilizations; she loves foie gras, but to atone for her gluttony, can be found in Chinatown twice a week, practicing tai chi.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 1967, four-thousand Jews fled from Libya, each with one suitcase and the equivalent of $50; half of them settled in Rome. This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio welcomes guest Katie Parla who describes the bonds these settlers formed with their Roman ancestors’ who arrived in the 15th century and the cuisine that has survived and flourished in the restaurants of the Roman Jewish Ghetto. Tune in for a fascinating show!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Using restaurants as a lens to observe the city’s cuisine, Lolis Elie talks about food, culture and customs of New Orleans on this week’s edition of _ A Taste of the Past _. “There are at least two traditions in Louisiana gumbo. The New Orleans tradition, and that gumbo tends to be thinner, tends not to have as thick or dark of roux, and also, when I think of Creole gumbo I think of a mix of sausage, seafood, and occasionally some poultry.” [15:05] –Lolis Elie on A Taste of the Past  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

From smoked arctic char, meatball stew and savory puffed pancakes to Swedish almond wreaths, cardamom braids and whipped berry pudding, tune in as _ A Taste of the Past _ goes Nordic with Darra Goldstein. Illustrating the glorious and diverse flavors of classic Nordic cooking, Darra’s recipes in the new book “Fire + Ice” have been tailored for home cooks of all abilities. As the foremost American authority on this region, she offers readers an opportunity to discover the history, lore, and rich culinary traditions of Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden with deeply personal essays about each country, as well as information on the history of foraging, the iconic ingredients of the north, and regional cooking techniques. More than just a usable cookbook, Fire + Ice is a travelogue and love letter to Scandinavia, inviting readers and cooks alike on a guided exploration of this unique region, its people, and its culture. var array = eval('[{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/nordic-cuisine\/fireandice\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/fireandice.jpg","title":"fireandice","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/fireandice.jpg","1":243,"2":300,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/nordic-cuisine\/screen-shot-2015-11-05-at-11-53-47-am\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Screen-Shot-2015-11-05-at-11.53.47-AM.png","title":"Screen Shot 2015-11-05 at 11.53.47 AM","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/11\/Screen-Shot-2015-11-05-at-11.53.47-AM.png","1":387,"2":517,"3":false}]'); galleryArrays.push(array); document.write(""); > "The land really offers up a lot of riches but you have to work for them. It’s not a climate where the soil is so rich with minerals and fertility that you can stick a seed in the ground and watch it grow.” [9:17] "One of the most classic Scandinavian dishes that is now a high-end food is gravlax, but it comes from the Swedish word ‘gravadlax’ which is simply ‘buried salmon.'” [10:21] –Darra Goldstein on A Taste of the Past See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Zora Neale Hurston is one of the most notable authors of the Harlem Renaissance. Her extensive ethnographic research on African American foodways throughout the state of Florida remains a critical historic resource to this day. Her work provides insight into meals such as pickled pig’s feet and their rise in the southern African American community as a staple, as well as many home remedies like parched rice and bay leaves for an upset stomach and recipes to cure “loss of mind.” From Floridian fried turtle to chicken pancakes, author Frederick Douglass Opie explores the lingering impact of Hurston’s work and Florida food while incorporating recipes that remain essential today. var array = eval('[{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/frederick-douglass-opie-on-zora-neale-hurston\/zoranealehurston\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/zoranealehurston.png","title":"","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/zoranealehurston.png","1":300,"2":432,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"Dr. Frederick Douglass Opie","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/frederick-douglass-opie-on-zora-neale-hurston\/opie-fred\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/opie-fred.jpg","title":"opie-fred","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/opie-fred.jpg","1":370,"2":555,"3":false}]'); galleryArrays.push(array); document.write(""); See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In an effort to preserve a period of America’s culinary history the National Endowment for the Humanities has funded the What America Ate Project to create an innovative website and online archive of culinary sources from the Great Depression. Materials include the far-flung papers of the WPA America Eats program, a collection of rare community cookbooks, and hundreds of food marketing and advertising materials from the 1930s. var array = eval('[{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/what-america-ate-project-food-of-the-great-depression\/attachment\/3720404\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/3720404.jpg","title":"3720404","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/3720404.jpg","1":400,"2":293,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/what-america-ate-project-food-of-the-great-depression\/481287_orig\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/481287_orig.jpg","title":"481287_orig","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/481287_orig.jpg","1":600,"2":800,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/what-america-ate-project-food-of-the-great-depression\/attachment\/7678877\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/7678877.jpg","title":"7678877","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/7678877.jpg","1":427,"2":312,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/what-america-ate-project-food-of-the-great-depression\/attachment\/4017239\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/4017239.jpg","title":"4017239","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/4017239.jpg","1":458,"2":666,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/what-america-ate-project-food-of-the-great-depression\/attachment\/8170310\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/8170310.jpg","title":"8170310","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/8170310.jpg","1":423,"2":314,"3":false},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/what-america-ate-project-food-of-the-great-depression\/2881160_orig\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/2881160_orig.jpg","title":"2881160_orig","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/2881160_orig.jpg","1":640,"2":444,"3":false}]'); galleryArrays.push(array); document.write(""); See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Look in your kitchen cabinet, there’s no doubt a Pyrex dish in there somewhere, whether it be a glass pie plate or the ubiquitous glass measuring cup with the red incremental markings.  This year marks the 100th anniversary of Pyrex, and Linda Pelaccio is celebrating on today’s episode of _ A Taste of the Past _ with guest Regan Brumagen of the Rakow Research Library at the Corning Museum of Glass.  As one of the curators of the “America’s Favorite Dish: Celebrating a Century of Pyrex” exhibit, Regan and Linda engage in a fascinating conversation from all things measuring cups to the vintage advertising to the product’s place in the emergence of home economics.  Tune in for more! var array = eval('[{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/100-years-of-pyrex-how-it-changed-the-way-america-cooks\/pyrex-ad-4\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pyrex-ad-4.jpg","title":"Pyrex-ad-4","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pyrex-ad-4-900x479.jpg","1":640,"2":341,"3":true},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/100-years-of-pyrex-how-it-changed-the-way-america-cooks\/pyrex-2\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/pyrex-2.jpg","title":"pyrex-2","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/pyrex-2-900x675.jpg","1":640,"2":480,"3":true},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/100-years-of-pyrex-how-it-changed-the-way-america-cooks\/pyrex-ad-5\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pyrex-ad-5.jpg","title":"Pyrex-ad-5","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pyrex-ad-5-900x479.jpg","1":640,"2":341,"3":true},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/100-years-of-pyrex-how-it-changed-the-way-america-cooks\/pyrex-1\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/pyrex-1.jpg","title":"pyrex-1","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/pyrex-1-900x675.jpg","1":640,"2":480,"3":true},{"alt":"","caption":"","description":"","href":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/podcast\/100-years-of-pyrex-how-it-changed-the-way-america-cooks\/pyrex-ad-6_0\/","src":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pyrex-ad-6_0.jpg","title":"Pyrex-ad-6_0","0":"http:\/\/heritageradionetwork.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Pyrex-ad-6_0-900x479.jpg","1":640,"2":341,"3":true}]'); galleryArrays.push(array); document.write("");  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.