Almost sixty years ago to the day, President John F Kennedy and his wife Jacqueline hosted the largest state dinner of the Kennedy Administration. Invited to the White House for a special "brains dinner" in April 1962 were 49 Nobel laureates, along with Pulitzer Prize winners, noted actors, and Poet Laureates. What happened the night Robert Frost dined with J. Robert Oppenheimer? How did James Baldwin get on with Mary Welsh Hemingway? On this episode, we speak with Joseph A. Esposito, author of ...
Apr 28, 2020•45 min•Season 4Ep. 6
This week, the Feast is heading to Ohio to visit a brewery entirely dedicated to making beer like they did in the mid-19th century. Located in Dayton, Carillon Brewing Company is not your average craft brewery. Instead of wrestling with stainless steel tanks, you’re more likely to find these brewers chopping wood and discussing 19th century recipe books. We spoke with head brewer Kyle Spears and assistant brewer Dan Lauro to learn what it takes to brew beer like they did in 1855. Here’s a clue: ...
Mar 03, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 4Ep. 5
In an era of celebrity chefs, fast casual chains, and meal delivery services available at the touch of a button, it may be hard to imagine a state where people drive out of town to go to a pyramid-shaped restaurant to enjoy a nice brandy-based cocktail, a relish tray, fried fish, and prime rib. Where the host lets you linger at a bar for hours before even thinking of being seated for dinner. Where you might know everyone in the restaurant, including the owners. And you may be back in a few days ...
Feb 18, 2020•51 min•Season 4Ep. 4
This week, we’re featuring another interview from our trip to the first-ever Beer Culture Summit, held in Chicago in October 2019. This time, we’re heading to the Chicago History Museum to learn about the forgotten women that helped shape America’s beer industry in the 19th century. We speak with Dr. Jennifer Jordan, a professor at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, who has spent the last few years researching and writing about the forgotten hop industry and specifically the women who were o...
Feb 04, 2020•41 min•Season 4Ep. 3
This week, we're taking you to the heart of the Windy City itself, Chicago, to chat with the founder and executive director of the one of the only museum's dedicated entirely to the history and culture of beer: the Chicago Brewseum. At its helm is Liz Garibay, who has spearheaded the organization's programming and events for the last several years. In October 2019, the Brewseum hosted the first-ever Beer Culture Summit, dedicated to enhancing the cultural understanding of one of the world's olde...
Jan 21, 2020•42 min•Season 4Ep. 2
The Feast is back! Just in time for the month of healthy New Year’s resolutions, our season premiere features a rich discussion on the history of feasting and fasting in Europe. We talk to Dr. Victoria Avery and Dr. Melissa Calaresu, co-curators of the exhibition “Feast & Fast: The Art of Food in Europe 1500–1800” at the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, England, to learn some of the questions early modern Europeans were asking about what to eat and where their food came from: How can I eat c...
Jan 07, 2020•50 min•Season 4Ep. 1
On a special holiday bonus episode of the Feast, we talk to Robert Tinnell, the writer and director of the new film, “Feast of the Seven Fishes”, out now. Centered on the Italian-American culinary tradition of seven seafood dishes eaten on Christmas Eve, the romantic-comedy is based loosely on Robert’s childhood growing up in West Virginia. From stuffed calamari to marinated eel to salt cod, we talked to Robert about the food traditions at the heart of the film. Although no one may know exactly ...
Dec 10, 2019•36 min
The Feast is back! And we’re bringing you a few special episodes before the launch of Season 4 on January 7, 2020. Longtime Feast listeners may remember our episode that touched on the history of egg nog and the Virginia hardy orange. The hardy orange is often regarded as a pest, with its bitter taste, numerous thorns, and ability to survive the chilliest of frosts. Introduced by botanists hoping for a way to grow frost-resistant citrus in the United States in the 19th century, the hardy orange ...
Nov 26, 2019•43 min
Hungry for more food podcasts while the Feast is on season break? Try Green Eggs & Dan, a new podcast from The Podglomerate. Taking a new look at “you are what you eat,” comedian Dan Ahdoot brings listeners in on conversations about food, life, and more, with some of his most entertaining friends. Not your typical, holier-than-thou food show, Green Eggs and Dan is the type of food podcast you’d make with your friends around the table, roasting more than just the food. Subscribe to the show a...
Sep 11, 2019•9 min
On the Feast’s season finale, we revisit a meal that ended a chapter in one of the most famous hotel’s in history: the Waldorf Astoria. Famous for its invention of the Waldorf Salad and (arguably) Eggs Benedict, the legacy of this world-renown hotel has always been associated with food. But what did the hotel serve on its final meal on May 1st, 1929? True New Yorkers know that underneath a certain famous city skyscraper lies the foundations of this mighty hotel: first known as the Waldorf and la...
May 21, 2019•32 min•Season 3Ep. 10
Join us on an artistic feast like no other with American artist, Georgia O’Keeffe. A prolific painter, O’Keeffe was also a devoted foodie, with an enviable cookbook collection and gigantic kitchen at her home in New Mexico. This week, we take at a look at the recipes that shaped and were shaped by pivotal moments in her life: from her upbringing on a dairy farm in Wisconsin to her important friendships with artists like Frida Kahlo and Ansel Adams. We learn from those who knew and worked with he...
May 14, 2019•32 min•Season 3Ep. 9
This week, we’re heading to the ends of the earth with legendary explorer, Ernest Shackleton. Responsible for many expeditions to Antartica, Shackleton is known for his incredible leadership even through some of the toughest and most extreme conditions on the planet. This week, we focus on his 1907 Nimrod Expedition to reach the South Pole. What do eating rations look like for a trip to the southernmost tip of the world? How do you plan for two years in the ice and snow? And where do you stash t...
May 07, 2019•40 min•Season 3Ep. 8
We’re exploring the great American road trip this week on The Feast. Learn how the call of the open road has inspired millions over the last century to see the country. We follow in the footsteps and exhaust fumes of American writer, John Steinbeck, along the road of two of his most famous books: The Grapes of Wrath and Travels with Charley. Armed with our own trusty canine companion, we head out on the open road to learn what kind of culinary offerings we can find at your typical highway stop. ...
Apr 30, 2019•38 min•Season 3Ep. 7
This week, The Feast is heading back to ancient Rome to do a little culinary archaeology. We’re rolling up our sleeves to make a first century dessert recipe courtesy of one of the most famous Roman cookbook writers of all time, Apicius. Although this sweet cheese and biscuit recipe, known as hypotrimma with spelt biscuits, may look like your standard cheese dip, this concoction has a few "fishy” ingredients hidden up its sleeve. While we bake, we’ll explore what makes Apicius so remembered amon...
Apr 16, 2019•37 min•Season 3Ep. 6
This week, we're revisiting one of our favorite episodes in honor of the 107th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic. We explore the culinary life onboard the unsinkable ship, looking at everything from those who worked in Titanic’s state of the art kitchens to the epic meals served only a few hours before the ship sank. We talk to Dana McCauley and Rick Archbold, co-authors of the definitive guide to Titanic dining, Last Dinner on the Titanic. Find out how to hold your own Titanic-theme...
Apr 09, 2019•35 min•Season 3Ep. 5
The Feast is headed to ancient Rome this week with experimental archaeologist, Farrell Monaco of tavolamediterranea.com. Join us as we discover the bakeries and fast food joints of Pompeii, make an ancient Roman cheese ball with an early-rising farmer, and learn the joys of fish sauce with Apicius. We’ll talk with Farrell about the importance of bread and grain to the Romans and how she uses a variety of sources, from frescoes to artifacts to texts, to discover the ancient tastes of Rome. Writte...
Apr 02, 2019•45 min•Season 3Ep. 4
This week, The Feast looks at the surprising history of Sweden’s favorite spice: cardamom! From its origins in India and the Middle East, how did this unlikely seed pod make its way to the chilly climes of Scandinavia? We break down how cardamom became the flavor backbone in Swedish favorites such as mulled wine (or glögg), flavored coffee, and Christmas sweet bread. Talking with everyone from culinary archaeologists to Swedish-Canadian grandmothers, we’ll uncover the unlikely history of this mi...
Mar 26, 2019•32 min•Season 3Ep. 3
Join us this week as The Feast hits the road with the Manitoba Food History Project Food Truck. We speak to Dr. Janis Thiessen and Kent Davies (University of Winnipeg), two leaders on this research project to discover meaningful dishes and historical recipes in Manitoba, Canada. The truck (and the project) travels the length and breadth of the province, interviewing Manitobans about food and recipes. From chili cheeseburgers to Jollibee chicken to puffed wheat squares, we’ll learn how this proje...
Mar 19, 2019•56 min•Season 3Ep. 2
The Feast is back! On our debut episode for Season 3, we dig deep into one of the most beloved sci fi universes of all time: Star Trek. Forget the transporters, phasers, and warp speed, on this episode, we look at the food and drink that kept the Enterprise crew flying through the stars. We talk to Glenn McDorman and Valerie Hoagland, hosts of the Lower Decks podcast, about how the future of food has changed since Star Trek debuted in the 1960s. We’ll also visit their speakeasy in the Jefferies ...
Mar 12, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 1
Join us on Maine’s craft brewery trail as we head north to Waldoboro to talk to John and Sarah McNeil, co-owners of Odd Alewives Farm Brewery. From their adorable brewery cat, Rocket, to the latest changes in the American craft beer scene, we’ll discover what makes their fantastic farm brewery tick. Located on 22 acres of an old alpaca farm, John and Sarah are living the good life and serving great beer to both local and international beer enthusiasts. From foraged hyssop ales to maple syrup-inf...
Oct 29, 2018•51 min•Season 2Ep. 50
This week, join The Feast under the Tuscan sun as we chat with award-winning winemaker Charlotte Horton about the enduring culinary traditions of one of Italy’s oldest communities: the Etruscans. From millennia-old grape presses to enduring wine-soaked folk songs, learn how traditional Tuscan cuisine and culture can trace its lineage back 3000 years. We’ll also learn how these ancient foodways may have something to teach our modern food systems. Charlotte’s restored Tuscan castle, the Castello d...
Oct 01, 2018•38 min•Season 2Ep. 49
The Feast's summer road trip continues as we head to a state once known as the birthplace of Prohibition: Maine! Join us in conversation with state politician and owner of Portland's Rising Tide Brewery, Heather Sanborn, as we chat about the past and present of Maine's beer scene. As former president of the Maine Brewer's Guild and a champion of craft brewing, Heather reveals the secrets of a successful craft beer business, one deeply rooted in local advocacy and community-building. We talk ever...
Aug 29, 2018•44 min•Season 3Ep. 48
Join us for an exclusive chat with author, Allie Rowbottom, as she talks about the food and feminist themes that infuse her new book, Jell-O Girls: A Family History, available on July 24th, 2018. "A gripping examination of the dark side of an iconic American product and a moving portrait of the women who lived in the shadow of its fractured fortune, Jell-O Girls is a family history, a feminist history, and a story of motherhood, love, and loss. In crystalline prose, Rowbottom considers the roots...
Jul 24, 2018•42 min•Season 2Ep. 47
On this special summer episode, we talk to award-winning bartender Joshua James of the Clever Koi restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona about the long-lost original Arizona state cocktail, aptly named the Statehood. Learn how the cocktail was developed in 1910, a full two years before Arizona was granted statehood, and how it reflected the cocktail drinking spirit of the age. We talk to Joshua about how to update this state classic for the 21st century as well as his own experiences behind the bar in P...
Jun 27, 2018•25 min•Ep. 46
Join us in the season finale of the Feast for a discussion with Lori McCarthy of Cod Sounds in Newfoundland. From salt cod to goose tongue, she takes us through a culinary cornucopia of the island's history and culture. Whether it's making a hearty scoff of fish and brewis or cooking up dandelions for a medicinal tea, learn about Lori's great work in discovering and preserving the rich food heritage of Newfoundland. Along the way, we'll dig deep into the history of salt fish, not to mention the ...
May 18, 2018•33 min•Season 2Ep. 45
The Feast is headed to the library this week with a special sneak peek of the Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library's upcoming exhibition, Mixed Messages: Making and Shaping Culinary Culture in Canada. We'll speak with one of the co-curators of the exhibit, Liz Ridolfo, as she takes us through a chronological culinary tour of Canada. From the earliest guides on maple syrup to the growth of university domestic science departments to Depression-era recipes for magical mystery cake, we're give you a snea...
May 04, 2018•33 min•Season 2Ep. 44
All aboard! This week, The Feast is riding the rails with an icon of American dining, the Harvey House. Founded by Fred Harvey in the 1870s, Harvey Houses marked the first attempt to provide standardized high quality dining experiences to passengers travelling the American West by rail. We'll also take a look at Harvey's army of waitresses, the Harvey Girls, who served the best steak and coffee from Leavenworth to Los Angeles. Find out how Fred Harvey got his start in railroad restaurants and ho...
Apr 20, 2018•33 min•Season 2Ep. 43
More than one hundred years after its fateful encounter with an iceberg on April 14th, 1912, the Titanic still captivates history buffs as a microcosm of Edwardian society. This week we’re exploring the culinary life onboard the unsinkable ship, looking at everything from those who worked in Titanic’s state of the art kitchens to the epic meals served only a few hours before the ship sank. We’ll talk to Dana McCauley and Rick Archbold, co-authors of the definitive guide to Titanic dining, Last D...
Apr 06, 2018•31 min•Season 2Ep. 42
From fire jumping to colored eggs, Persian New Year (Nowruz) is an epic annual tradition for millions of people worldwide. A celebration of the return of spring, Nowruz is a food-laden affair where thousand-year-old dishes are served each year on Persian tables. Join us as we chat with Iranian-born Merhnoosh Zamani and Kimia Ziafat as they prepare to ring in the new year of 1397 in Vancouver, British Columbia. We'll dig deep into the stories and legends that surround this great holiday, travelli...
Mar 23, 2018•32 min•Season 2Ep. 41
Sure, he can pull a sword from a stone, but can King Arthur dice vegetables? The once and future king is usually known more for his sword skills than his knife skills. But surely someone had to fix dinner for the Round Table! This week, we discover how feasting has played a crucial part of the Arthurian legends. Learn how feasting was a critical component of medieval European hospitality with origins in some of the earliest known English literature. From Beowulf to King Arthur, we'll discover th...
Mar 09, 2018•33 min•Season 2Ep. 40
