This week A Taste of The Past investigates the rise in popularity and power of TV cooking shows. Host Linda Pelaccio looks into the origins that have resulted in today’s obsession with food TV, with hundreds of shows on a multitude of dedicated food and cooking networks, they find the catalyst in the impossibly original and witty Julia Child. With the help of NYU Cinema Studies professor Dana Polan, who has written a book about the subject, discover how Julia transformed America’s views of home ...
Nov 03, 2011•32 min•Ep. 79
This week A Taste of the Past recreates a classic master cookbook of the Italian vintage “The Silver Spoon” with the help of the editor Emilia Terragni of Phaidon Press. Emilia expounds on the challenges that face a culinary historian in translating a 60 year old cookbook from Italian into English; from recipes where much was assumed and thus lacking direction, to differences in stoves, measurements and more. This episode is sponsored by Hearst Ranch . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/pri...
Oct 27, 2011•33 min•Ep. 78
We all know and love French and Italian wines, and of course California is known for it’s interesting varietals and grapes but what about wine in other parts of America? Did you know Virginia used to make award winning wine? Tune in to an informative and historical episode of A Taste of the Past with Linda Pelaccio as she explores the history of American wine with Andrew Dornenburg and Karen Page, authors of “The Flavor Bible”, “What to Drink with What You Eat”, “Becoming a Chef”, “The New Ameri...
Oct 20, 2011•35 min•Ep. 77
This week On A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by a very special guest who is not only a chef who has cooked for Charles de Gaulle and has 11 cookbooksbut who is also an Emmy Winner, a recipient of France’s highest honer: Chevalier de L’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres, a painter, and a poet. Any guesses??? It’s Jacques Pepin! The two chat about Jacques beginnings in his parents’ kitchen to his time at Le Pavillion to his newest cookbook coming out in October: The Essential Pepin . And if you’re...
Sep 29, 2011•31 min•Ep. 76
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by Ed Behr, the man behind The Art of Eating, an in-depth periodical about the best food and wine. Linda and Ed discuss everything from subjective taste to food pleasures. Find out what you can learn from The Art of Eating and why food writing is as good as ever. Also, tune in and discover why great food doesn’t have to be expensive! This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...
Sep 22, 2011•32 min•Ep. 75
This week on A Taste of The Past goes south to Mississippi with James Beard Award-winning cookbook author Martha Hall Foose who was also the food stylist for the critically acclaimed move ‘The Help’, set in Mississippi in the ’60s. Martha discusses the process she went through to recreate historically-accurate meals and foodstuff for the film and how sometimes she had to learn to let go of her modernist aesthetics in order to remain faithful to the time. From classic bridge party food and to her...
Sep 15, 2011•33 min•Ep. 74
This week A Taste of the Past has a serious talk about tomatoes with James Beard award recipient Barry Estabrook , author of Tomatoland: How Modern Industrial Agriculture Destroyed Our Most Alluring Fruit . The discussion goes into the dark side of American farming in Florida where labor and human rights have been reported in some places to harbor slave-like working conditions. Find out about the Campaign for Fair Food why it is buying locally is more than just a fad or trend. If you care at all...
Sep 08, 2011•39 min•Ep. 73
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda explores the history of the hot dog with Bruce Kraig, Ph.D, author of “Hot Dog, A Global History”. Bruce has traveled the world tasting hot dogs and shares some very interesting variations including Korean batter-dipped dogs. Learn how the frankfurter found its way into American culture, where it got its silly name from and how it helped define our “on-the-go” meal philosophy in this country. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery . See P...
Sep 01, 2011•35 min•Ep. 72
What do beat, bean, and leek all have in common with each other? Find out on this week’s episode A Taste of The Past where Linda goes into the history of food and culinary etymology with Ina Lipkowitz teacher of English literature and Biblical Studies at MIT and author of Words to Eat By . Discover the semantic shift in the word meat, the influence of the ancient Romans on plant breeds, and how much religious symbolism is based off food. Listen and become aware about how much food words have an ...
Aug 18, 2011•33 min•Ep. 71
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by author and teacher Megan Elias, author of the forthcoming book “Taste of the Nation: American Cookbooks and Culture”. Linda and Megan explore the history of American recipes, cuisine and cookbooks and ask the question “what is America’s national dish?”. Tune in to learn how our “stop and go” culture has influenced our cuisine and how our food ideas trickle down into many different outlets. This episode was sponsored by Cain Five . See Privacy ...
Aug 04, 2011•34 min•Ep. 70
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda explores the history of food preservation with Jack Kittredge, homesteader, instructor and Policy Director of NOFA (Northeast Organic Farming Association). This episode was sponsored by The Smallholding Festival. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info ....
Jul 07, 2011•40 min•Ep. 69
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by kitchenware collector and creator of The Brooklyn Kitchen, Harry Rosenblum. Harry and Linda discuss the lineage of some familiar kitchen items and celebrate the nostalgia of antique utensils. Tune in to hear some interesting thoughts on modern cookware as it relates to functionality and efficiency and learn more about the tools that we rely on to create our meals. This episode was sponsored by Camp Bacon . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.c...
Jun 30, 2011•35 min•Ep. 68
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by journalist and creator of the “Voices From the Food Revolution” oral history project at NYU, Judith Weinraub to discuss how we came to this food renaissance in America. Tune in to learn what we share with our culinary ancestors and why oral history is so important in passing down recipes, traditions and ideas. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Pri...
Jun 23, 2011•38 min•Ep. 67
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Jun 16, 2011•39 min•Ep. 66
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda sits down with cookware historian/collector Joel Schiff and author/poet Stacey Harwood to talk about the history of cast iron cookware. Joel traces the material’s early beginnings in ancient China to its resurgence in popularity today. Then Stacey shares some of her favorite recipes to cook in cast iron molds. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/pri...
Jun 09, 2011•39 min•Ep. 65
John Mariani, Esquire food critic, noted journalist and author of “How Italian Food Conquered the World”, is this week’s guest on A Taste of The Past. Linda & John trace the history of Italian and Italian American cuisine from the days where pizza ovens were a sign of low class cuisine to the recent artisanal pizza explosion in the culinary world. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice...
Jun 02, 2011•41 min•Ep. 64
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda explores the culinary history and traditions of Israel, both old and new, with Janna Gur. Janna Gur is the author of “The Book of New Israeli Food” and founder and editor of Tel Aviv’s top food and wine magazine. Learn what makes Isreali breakfast unique, why Friday dinner is mandatory and why Isreali coffee is so good. This episode was sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privac...
May 26, 2011•39 min•Ep. 63
Linda Pelaccio gets ready for summer as she explores the history of ice cream with noted journalist and author Laura Weiss on A Taste of the Past. Laura traces the history of ice cream, from it’s icy and innovative roots to its worldwide popularity today. Learn about ice houses, the big business of ice cream and it’s many variations across the globe. Laura’s latest book is Ice Cream: A Global History, and is available where all books are sold. This episode was sponsored by Hearst Ranch , the nat...
May 19, 2011•36 min•Ep. 62
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by salt expert and author of “Salted: A Manifesto on the World’s Most Essential Mineral”, Mark Bitterman. Tune in to learn more about salt, the mineral that is essential for animal life and elemental in our diets. Hear more about the history of salt from salt mining to iodization and find out how certain salts get such incredible color. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market . See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californ...
May 05, 2011•38 min•Ep. 61
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda invites filmmaker David Gelb and editor Brandon Driscoll-Luttringer to talk about their new film, “Jiro Dreams of Sushi”. Currently playing at the Tribeca Film Festival, this documentary follows master sushi chef Jiro Ono on his quest for sushi perfection. Jiro shares his idea of the five basic attributes to being a good chef and the constant strive for improvement every sushi master must take on in the vast world of sushi in Japan. To find out more about ...
Apr 28, 2011•37 min•Ep. 60
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda invites food historian and noted author Andy Smith to the program to explore and dissect the history of the most popular tuber and a staple of most diets – the potato. Did you know there are over 200 varieties of potatoes? Find out more about the history evolution of the potato on this especially informative episode of A Taste of the Past. This episode was sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and Californi...
Apr 21, 2011•36 min•Ep. 59
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda explores the decadent feasts behind royal weddings. Joined by food historian and period cookery instructor Ivan Day, she predicts what might been seen on the plates of guests at Prince William’s wedding and reveals the history behind wedding cakes, decorative dishes & marriage ceremonies. Sponsored by Fairway Market – like no other market.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/priv...
Apr 14, 2011•37 min•Ep. 58
Join Linda Pelaccio as she celebrates the 125th anniversary of one of the most recognizable brands and products in the world – Coca-Cola. She is joined by Coca-Cola Company archivist Jamal Booker who takes us on a tour of the heritage of America’s most popular soft drink. Find out how the drink started, why it’s recipe is so guarded and secretive and why consistency is the most important element of what we know as “Coke”. This episode was sponsored by Barterhouse Wines. For more information visi...
Apr 07, 2011•35 min•Ep. 57
Award winning cookbook author, documentarian and TV personality Joan Nathan is Linda Pelaccio’s guest on this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past. Joan talks about her latest book “Quiches, Kugels and Couscous: My Search for Jewish Cooking in France”, and traces the history of Jewish cuisine as it’s traveled across the globe. Learn more about how food traditions are gained, lost and kept throughout history. This episode was sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. For more information visit...
Mar 31, 2011•39 min•Ep. 56
Linda Pelaccio explores America’s Vanished Foods on this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past with Andrew Beahrs, author of Twain’s Feast: Searching for America’s Lost Foods in the Footsteps of Samuel Clemens. Tune in to hear about some of the original “heritage” foods of America including raccoon, oysters and terrapin soup. Learn about the food history and culture that can be drawn from the writings of Mark Twain and find out why things have changed drastically since those times. This episode ...
Mar 24, 2011•38 min•Ep. 55
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda is joined by Deborah Madison, “The Julia Child of Vegetarian Cooking”. Linda & Deborah dispel some of the stigmas and misconceptions surrounding vegetarian diets and explore ways to overcome the idea of a “centerless plate”. Tune in to learn about the Meatless Mondays initiative and find out which cultures are best with vegetarian dishes! This episode was sponsored by The Museum of Food & Drink. Learn about the “Get the Ball Rolling” fundraiser her...
Mar 10, 2011•38 min•Ep. 54
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio welcomes author, culinary historian, journalist and African American foodways expert Jessica B. Harris to the show. Jessica discusses some of the history included in her latest book “High on the Hog”. Tune in to find out where the title came from and how it relates to the culinary journey from Africa to America. Learn more about the integral role slavery played in our American culinary roots and why oral history supersedes any other in the African...
Mar 03, 2011•47 min•Ep. 53
This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda explores the roots and current state of American Cooking with cookbook author and former NY Times columnist Molly O’Neill. Molly talks about our culinary and recipe traditions in the United States and explores the intertwined worlds of food and class structure. Tune in and find out why, in the end, we are just One Big Table. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at ht...
Feb 24, 2011•34 min•Ep. 52
To celebrate President’s Day, Linda invites author and former visiting White House Chef Jack Hanny to the studio to talk about his latest book, “Secrets from the White House Kitchens”. Jack goes into the history of cuisine at the Oval Office, chronicling everything from JFK’s favorite clam chowder, to FDR’s nightmares with former chef Henrietta Nesbit. Learn more about the tastes of presidents past on an entertaining an informative episode of A Taste of the Past. This episode was sponsored by S....
Feb 17, 2011•38 min•Ep. 51
Valentine’s Day may have been intended to celebrate love, but we all know what’s really on our mind around this time – chocolate! Tune into A Taste of the Past to learn more about one of the most commonly appreciated and seriously misunderstood treats. Learn about the history of the “the food of the gods” from chocolate expert Alexandra Leaf and find out why “real” chocolate might not be what you think it is. This episode was sponsored by Whole Foods Market. For more information visit wholefooes...
Feb 10, 2011•33 min•Ep. 50
