Heritage Radio Network’s Quarantine Playlist
People across the country and around the world are stuck at home right now and for a lot of folks, passing the time means reacquainting themselves with their kitchens. Whether you’re giving home cooking a try for the first time or getting creative with your culinary skills, HRN has an archive of over 14,000 episodes to assist you in your endeavors. Below is a special selection of HRN podcasts rich with bread baking tips, fermentation and freeze drying tricks, and stories both useful and entertaining, to get you through self-isolation. If you are also interested in following coverage of COVID-19 and its impact on our food system, you can browse HRN’s most up to date radio stories here.
For the People Who Still Aren’t Sick of Pantry Staples:
A Taste of the Past: The Food Supply Chain and History of Beans: How and why has the COVID-19 pandemic affected our food supply chain? And where are all the dried beans? They’ve been around for thousands of years and now the shelves are empty. Maybe it’s a sign that Americans are cooking real food and know what’s nutritious. Natalie Rachel Morris joins Linda to talk about the history of beans and their importance.
The Food Seen: Pableaux Johnson, Red Beans Road Show: Pableaux Johnson, named one of Epicurious‘ “100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time,” shares his enthusiasm for a Louisiana Creole tradition: red beans & rice. Before moving to New Orleans, Johnson lived in Austin, Texas, and would throw big gumbo parties for friends in the hundreds, feeding them soul food. In 2009, he took his show on the road, bringing his Red Beans & Rice Show to the masses.
A Taste of the Past: Comfort Food: According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “comfort food” is “food that comforts or affords solace.” It is the food people turn to in a crisis or time of uncertainty. And the current coronavirus pandemic has people eating those foods that evoke a psychologically comfortable state. Prof. Lucy Long speaks about the history and broader theories of comfort food.
Why Food?: Ben Simon: From Political Campaigns to Artisan Food: Join co-hosts Vallery and Ethan for a conversation with Ben Simon, Founder & CEO of Ben to Table, a food subscription service for pantry staples. After a career in political campaigns with Greenpeace, Amnesty International and Unicef, Ben launched an online food subscription company for avid home cooks. Listen in on his career story and how he’s combined his interests in politics, environmental sustainability and food.
Did Someone Say Netflix Party?
Inside Julia’s Kitchen: Meet David Gelb: Host Todd Schulkin talks to David Gelb, an Emmy and Grammy-nominated producer best known for his documentary feature Jiro Dreams of Sushi and the award-winning Netflix series, Chef’s Table. Go behind the scenes and find out why chefs make fascinating subjects.
Food Without Borders: Breaking Bread and Boundaries with Phil Rosenthal, Host of Somebody Feed Phil: In this very special episode, Sari is joined in the studio by Phil Rosenthal, the creator of Everybody Loves Raymond and host of Somebody Feed Phil, now in its second season on Netflix. Tune in to hear Phil discuss his admiration for Anthony Bourdain, his philosophy on food as a means of peace, his feelings on members of the Trump administration getting booed out of Mexican restaurants, plus special guests Chef Mike Solomonov and Sari’s mom!
Snacky Tunes: The World’s Largest Cooking Competition Show Ever!: We’ve long known Andrew Knowlton for his prolific work over the years as Bon Appétit’s de facto restaurant guy. Andrew is presenting the brand new Netflix global culinary competition show, The Final Table. The show features some of the world’s most talented chefs fighting for a spot at the elite Final Table made up of true culinary icons — Enrique Olvera (Mexico), Andoni Aduriz (Spain), Clare Smyth (UK), Helena Rizzo (Brazil), Vineet Bhatia (India), Grant Achatz (US), Carlo Cracco (Italy), Yoshihiro Narisawa (Japan) and Anne-Sophie Pic (France).
Inside Julia’s Kitchen: Meet Jacques Torres: Host Todd Schulkin talks to Jacques Torres, master chocolatier, founder and CEO of Jacques Torres Chocolate and head judge on Netflix’s baking competition show, Nailed It. Todd and Jacques discuss all things chocolate, including the bean-to-bar movement, his cacao tree farm in Mexico, and Jacques’ NYC chocolate museum.
Eating Matters: Rotten: Christine Haughney, food and agriculture writer at Politico, joins the show to talk about her work as the investigative reporter of Rotten, Netflix’s new food crime docu-series. Rotten covers some of the “greatest hits” in food crime and fraud and shines a light on the pervasive greed and misconduct behind some of the world’s biggest corporations and the global food production industry. From honey to chicken to cod, this series will surprise and shock you, and hopefully encourage you to become more informed consumers.
Just Need Some Good News?
Meat and Three: Good News and Good News Only: Take a break from the increasingly stressful news cycle for some uplifting food stories. First, we hear from Jessica Krainchich, who brings us into the world of youth markets with the legendary planner, Bob Lewis. Then, H Conley has a story about the seed breeder working to make vegetables taste better. Next, we go Inside Julia’s Kitchen to hear about José Andres’s work with World Central Kitchen, an organization on the front lines offering relief in areas affected by natural disasters. Finally, we turn to Kevin Barnum who will debunk myths about butter sculptures.
For All the New Home Cooks Out There:
Snacky Tunes: The Art of Not Eating Out with Cathy Erway: Catch up with Cathy Erway, journalist, author and host of the HRN show Eat Your Words. The coronavirus pandemic has meant all of us quarantining at home for safety’s sake, and the result is not being able to frequent our favorite restaurants, delicatessens, food carts and diners. Cathy has deep experience when it comes to being a resourceful, budget-conscious home cook, which she has chronicled via her blog, Not Eating Out in New York, and book, The Art of Eating In: How I Learned to Stop Spending and Love the Stove. She provides us with insights into making the most of shopping for and preparing meals on our own.
Eat Your Words: Start Simple: Cathy is joined in the studio by Lukas Volger. In his latest book, Start Simple, he offers a radically new, uncomplicated, and creative approach to cooking that allows you to use what you already have on hand to make great meals you didn’t think were possible.
Meat and Three: Finding Joy in Your Kitchen: Have you ever found a recipe, ingredient, kitchen tool, or cookbook that has changed the way your whole kitchen functions? We’re obsessed with these joyous discoveries, so we’re dedicating our season four finale to them!
Eat Your Words: Eat Your Vegetables: Are you a single cook looking to eat more vegetables? Listen to what Joe Yonan, author of Eat Your Vegetables has to say. Find out why Joe thinks cooking shouldn’t be intimidating, and why he offers simple recipes for rice and beans. Joe gives a few tips for dealing with fresh herbs at home, and shares his opinions about imitation meat products. What does Joe think about the recent lab-produced hamburger? How has Joe’s vegetable-based diet influenced his lifestyle?
For Everybody and their Mother who has Embraced Their Inner Bread Baker:
Modernist Breadcrumbs: Mother, May I?: It seems only natural—and appropriately poetic—to start season two of Modernist Breadcrumbs talking about starters. They’re the inception of the loaf, the first step. You don’t need a starter to make bread, but the story of cultivating yeast from the environment around us—whether you call it “starter,” “culture,” “levain,” or “mother”—is what we’re focusing on in this episode, from microbes to miche.
Modernist Breadcrumbs: On The Rise: Here, we observe a microscopic single-celled organism from the fungi kingdom, and its full effect on bread: yeast. How can something so small make such a big impact? When it comes to bread, the proof really is in the proofing.
Modernist Breadcrumbs: Flatter, Better, Faster, Stronger: Flatbreads and quick breads may seem like strange oven-fellows, but hear us out. In the venn diagram of bread baking, they both fall in the overlap of “speed” and “differently leavened.” So we’re firing up the tonir, the tandoor, the griddle, the bastible, the wok, and even a rock, to travel around the world through bread.
A Tate of The Past: Man and His Bread: Linda Pelaccio welcomes Eric Kayser, artisan baker, founder of Maison Kayser, and author of the book “The Larousse Book of Bread,” to the show. Born into a family of French bakers, dating back four generations and recognized as one of the most talented artisan bakers of his generation, Eric Kayser has built his reputation on his passion for bread. He talks about the quality of his products, demonstrates his incredible skill to combine authenticity and innovation in the world of French artisanal bakeries, and tells Linda how he came up through the culinary world.
Fresh Pickings: Masa Harina: Ever wonder how your two pound burrito could possibly fit all of those ingredients without exploding? Well, that’s all thanks to masa, the corn flour used to make tortillas, sopas, and pupusas. How is masa harina made? What is it used for? To learn more about the science behind masa (which involves the process of nixtamalization) Kat Johnson interviews Dave Arnold, co-host of Cooking Issues.
Minimizing Food Waste with Home Ferments, Freeze Drying and More:
Meat and Three: Waste Not, Want Not: This episode is all about waste. From “quarantine cuisine,” to a Michelin-starred restaurant that’s doing more with less, to a Bushwick City Council campaign tightly linked to a local compost center – these stories focus on learning and seeking creative solutions to food waste pain points.
Fuhmentaboutit!: What Does NYC Ferment?: Live from Fifth Hammer, it’s the NYC Ferments meetup group! Join local NYC fermenters and fermentation enthusiasts for a deep dive into homemade kimchis, sourdoughs, and tempeh.
Origins: Too Many Cucumbers - Preserving, Pickling and Fermenting: Our panelists include Sarah Gordon and Sheila Fain, owners and founders of Gordy’s Pickle Jar; Meaghan and Shane Carpenter, the owners and founders of Hex Ferments; and Lauren Sandler, the Director of Preservation for Foodshed, Inc.
Cooking Issues: We Bought Some Stuff From This Guy: On this episode Dave and Nastassia go through a big bag of treats dropped off from a listener. Also, we talk problematic Neil Diamond tracks, aging Eggnog, Freeze Dried Ice Cream, and eating Bear, Beaver, Raccoon, etc..
Cooking Issues: Clean Up, Aisle Live...On Air with Paul Adams: On today’s episode Dave and Nastassia are joined in the studio by HRN’s Kat Johnson and special guest Paul Adams, Science Research Editor for America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Illustrated. Together they tear into a real-deal MRE and spill every single component all over the studio. Also, we indulge in a shockingly involved string of tangents; Dave waxes poetic about spitting cherry seeds, and we go in-depth on plans for surviving a NYC-based nuclear event. Also, how to make Oatly at home.
For Those Exploring Gardening and Herbal Remedy:
Feast Meets West: Food as Medicine: Ellen Goldsmith, author of “Nutritional Healing with Chinese Medicine” and co-founder of Pearl Natural Health, joins us to speak about the ancient Eastern wisdom of food as medicine. Learn about the foundations and concepts of Chinese Medicine – from the yin and yang, and the thermal nature of foods to how you should be stocking your pantry this winter – to actively improve your health by doing something as simple and enjoyable as eating.
Feast Yr Ears: Medicines and Foods Are All Around Us: Maureen Johnson started foraging with her grandparents and has been working with wild foods her whole life. There are medicines all around us, mushrooms and plants have been used in preventive medicine for millennia. Harry and Maureen cover a lot of ground in this episode, from wild medicine to western medicine to delicious foods.
We Dig Plants: The New American Herbal & Stephen Orr: Learn about plants that are extraordinarily useful in cooking, homeopathy, and more. Carmen and Alice are joined by Stephen Orr, author of The New American Herbal.
A Taste of the Past: Joanne Lamb Hayes: Author Joanne Lamb Hayes talks about wartime culinary trends, victory gardens & meat substitutes.
For Those Using the Extra Time to Tidy Up:
Ask a Clean Person: Cast Away: Ok cast iron crazies – this episode might make you mad. Jolie Kerr is joined by Daniel Gritzer to debunk some serious cast iron myths. Daniel is the Culinary Director at Serious Eats, where he writes about food, cooking, and recipes, with an eye to obsessive recipe testing and myth-busting.
Ask a Clean Person: On the Chopping Block: Jolie Kerr is in studio with Daniel Gritzer and Lesley Stockton talking knife and cutting board care. Daniel is the Culinary Director at Serious Eats while Lesley is a staff writer and the test kitchen manager at The Sweethome. Between why you should never put a chef’s knife in the dishwasher, the right way to hand-wash, and a gruesome slicing story, plus cleaning advice for the faithful cutting board, this episode is not to be missed!
HRN On Tour: The Next Generation of Cast Iron: This episode is about all things cast iron, the most beloved – and sometimes feared – cooking surface out there! Steve Schoettle of Sea Island Forge and Dennis Powell of Butter Pat Industries chat with Harry Rosenblum about the history and new wave of cast iron production, from stovetop to grill.
For Those Feeding Pets and Other Farm Animals
Animal Instinct: Dr. Harvey's Healthy Formulations: Why should pet food be natural? The question is, why shouldn’t pet food be natural? On this week’s episode of Animal Instinct, Celia Kutcher chats with one of the biggest names in natural pet food, Dr. Harvey Cohen, a successful nutritionist, lifelong animal lover and founder of Dr. Harvey’s Healthy Formulations. Learn about the history of pet food and why it’s important to treat your pets the same way you’d treat your children when it comes to feeding them.
The Farm Report: Cory Carman’s Grass-Fed Vision: The fourth-generation Oregon rancher worked in environmental policy before she moved home and converted her family’s ranch to a grass-fed cattle operation based on the principles of holistic management. Now, she’s partnered with other ranches nearby to create a new supply chain for grass-fed beef. In this episode, Carman talks to host Lisa Held about building soil health to restore grasslands and store carbon, partnering with restaurant chains like Dig to grow the market for grass-fed beef, communicating around the role livestock play in healthy ecosystems, and the rural-urban divide.
Animal Instinct: Backyard Goats: Ever consider goats as backyard pets? You will after this episode, as host Celia Kutcher chats with Dr. Tatiana Stanton, a member of the Cornell University Sheep and Goat Extension Program. In her spare time, Tatiana maintains a small, pasture-based herd of 40 meat goat does. She has worked as a goat/hair sheep consultant for various nonprofit organizations in the Caribbean and Central America training both new and experienced farmers in sheep and goat management. Within the United States, Tatiana has also worked as a herdsperson for commercial goat dairies and the International Dairy Goat Research Center at Prairie View, Texas. She gives an A-Z breakdown of what it means to keep a goat as a pet – from breeding to behavior.
