Culinary historian Linda Pelaccio takes a journey through the history of food. Take a dive into food cultures through history, from ancient Mesopotamia and imperial China to the grazing tables and deli counters of today. Tune in as Linda, along with a guest list of culinary chroniclers and enthusiasts, explores the lively links between food cultures of the present and past.
Latest episodes
-
41 min
A Taste of Spain via Hemingway
Linda interviews author Howie Southworth about his new book, Hemingway’s Spanish Table. Part travelogue, part cookbook, this compelling culinary journey traces Hemingway’s travels…
-
53 min
The History of Mac ’n Cheese, from Ancient Rome to Modern America
Today, macaroni and cheese is the ultimate comfort food, a staple of weeknight dinners, family gatherings, and Soul Food restaurants. Humble though the dish may seem, culinary hist…
-
39 min
Politics in the Grocery Aisle with Marion Nestle
Marion Nestle, America’s preeminent nutrition and food activist joins Linda to discuss her new book, What to Eat Now, a rewrite of her 2006 groundbreaking book, What to Eat. In tho…
-
46 min
Katie Parla on Roman Food Culture
Katie Parla is a Rome-based food and beverage writer, cookbook author, and culinary guide. She is known for her expertise on Italian food culture, having written or edited over 35…
-
53 min
Immigrant Italian Women and the Birth of an Italian American Foodway
In this episode Linda talks with Lucinda Scala Quinn about the history of immigrant Italian women who came to America between 1880 and 1924, fleeing the poverty of their southern I…
-
1 h 02
The Foodways and Cooking of Nigeria
Nigerian food writer and cookbook author Ozoz Sokoh describes the historical foodways and evolution of the cuisine of Nigeria and its regions. From her new book, CHOP CHOP:: Cookin…
-
45 min
Elysian Kitchens
Monasteries, temples, mosques, and synagogues around the world preserve not only the world’s religions, but also cultural and culinary traditions, And those who cook in the kitchen…
-
51 min
Gastronomic Journey of Peru
Peruvian gastronomy is one of the most diverse cuisines in the world, consisting of an extensive variety of distinctive dishes characteristic of each city in the country, stemming…
-
38 min
Jewish Food Society: Preserving the Jewish Culinary Heritage from Around the World
From growing up in a Kibbutz, to a life in New York City where her work sits at the intersection of food, culture, community building, and art, landing her in a profile article in…
-
37 min
Endangered Foods
Drawing on Slow Food's Ark of Taste, a list of endangered foods throughout the world, culinary historian Sarah Lohman decided to look closer at the American local culinary traditio…
-
42 min
Ways of Eating
Based on years of observation, ethnographic fieldwork, and countless shared meals, mother and son Merry White and Ben Wurgaft explore how our foods reach our plates and how every b…
-
41 min
The Controversial History of Fasting
Fasting from food is a controversial, dangerous, and yet utterly normal human practice. Christine Baumgarthuber discusses our fascination with restrictive eating in cultural histor…
-
42 min
The Magic Eight: The Plants Native American Peoples Shared with the World
Lois Ellen Frank, Native foods historian, culinary anthropologist, and James Beard award winning cookbook author, joins Linda to talk about Native American foodways. She describes…
-
48 min
National Dish
What makes a national dish, and who decides? Food writer Anya Von Bremzen dives into the questions as she journeys to the heart of six of the world's most storied food traditions i…
-
46 min
America's Burgers with George Motz
Burger Scholar George Motz has spent decades researching, writing about, cooking, and eating America's favorite food: Hamburgers. His documentary film, Hamburger America, was recog…
-
49 min
Peanuts: Preserving History
Peanuts have a long history tied to indigenous South American people, early traders,and slavery. It was African slaves who brought the peanut to Virginia and planted and harvested…
-
41 min
Chefwise
Restaurants come and go, but chefs move on because it’s their career, their art, and, hopefully, their passion. But what are the secrets that lead to success? Tools of the trade—th…
-
50 min
The Myth of Milk as Superfood
Cow’s milk in fluid drinking form was not introduced in America until the 17th century, and quickly gained popularity. Before long it was promoted as a science-backed dietary neces…
-
47 min
Iconic New York Jewish Foods
Many of the foods brought by Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe to New York have become some of the most iconic foods associated with New York City. Their popularity spread acro…
-
48 min
Food of the Italian Islands
Italy is a land of ancient cultures, the fibers of which are woven through its everyday modern culture. Nowhere is this more noticeable than on the many islands which dot the Medit…