It's New Orleans: Louisiana Eats

The origins of food and spirits are usually not well known and can sometimes be hard to track down. After all, how do you figure out where something that's been around for centuries originated? On this week's show we'll speak with several culinary historians about the history of some fabulous foods, and some spirits too. We begin with author and historical gastronomist Sarah Lohman. Her book 8 Flavors: The Untold Story of American Cuisine recognizes the relationship between 8 flavors that she considers the foundation of American cuisine. She shares a tale of how a slave named Edward Albius changed the world by learning to pollinate Vanilla, a plant native to Mexico, outside of its native environment.

2019 marks a huge milestone for the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival... 50 years! Yet, there is another benchmark being met this year. The Food Heritage Stage, which was conceived 20 years after the first Jazzfest, is turning 30. This week on Louisiana Eats, we'll explore the Food Heritage Stage through the lens of chefs that have presented over the years, along with the people that helped pull it all together.

Louisiana Eats! is all about the biz, the Food business that is. On this week's show we talk with hospitality entrepreneurs about how they got their businesses off the ground.

On this week's show, we're bringing listeners along to Slow Food Nations 2018 in Denver, Colorado. The event celebrates slow and sustainable food systems through summits, workshops, and a street festival. The festival's theme for this year was Food for Change, and Slow Food USA's Executive Director Richard McCarthy was more than ready to share his thoughts with us, particularly about food's potential to be an antidote to our society's polarizations.

Something's brewing on Louisiana Eats! On this week's show we're taking a look at our local craft beer industry. We begin with Bayou Teche brewery owner Karlos Knott. Considering they are celebrating their 10th year in operation, we thought it was the perfect time to revisit with Karlos to see what's been brewing in Arnaudville and get a glimpse of what the future holds.

Spring festival season is upon us, so on this week's Louisiana Eats we're going to get you ready to be the host-or hostess-with the mostess! No one knows how to entertain quite like like Julia Reed. In her book, But Mama Always Put Vodka in Her Sangria! she offers a number of stories from a lifetime of rollicking culinary escapades. Julia lets us in on some tips for hosting a cocktail party for the ages.

Reality food TV may be a boon for networks, but what happens to local chefs and restaurants after the cameras stop rolling? On this week's Louisiana Eats, we talk to people who have participated in food TV in its various forms, with varying results. We begin with Helen Freund, restaurant critic and dining editor at Gambit. Earlier this year, she wrote a front-page article about the positive and negative effects food TV hosts like Gordon Ramsey and Guy Fieri have had on local restaurants. Helen fills us in on what she uncovered. Then, we hear from Ragnar Karlsson, whose restaurant, the Trolley Stop Cafe, was featured in the season premiere of "Gordon Ramsey's 24 Hours to Hell and Back." Ragnar's plan was to give his family restaurant a much needed boost, but was it worth it? He explains how excruciating the experience could be and explains how unreal reality TV can be. Finally, Chef Isaac Toups joins us. From his rise to fame on Top Chef to his new series for the Food Network, food TV has been very good to

On this week s show, we ll explore the immense influence that Italian foodways had on the development of New Orleans cuisine. We ll time travel through the years of the family operated Uptown gem, Pascal s Manale. This history, which is now immortalized in Poppy s new book, The Pascal s Manale Cookbook, focuses on two Sicilian immigrant families, the Manales and the Radostas, forebearers of today s Defelice clan, who continue the Manale tradition today. Three generations of family share their stories with us. We ll also visit Manale s oyster bar for a once in a lifetime shucking experience with celebrity oyster shucker "Uptown T" Thomas Stewart and speak with Loyola University history professor Justin Nystrom about how Sicilian Americans shaped New Orleans food culture. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week's show, we take a close look at superstar chefs to learn what it takes to reach the top. We begin with Chef Tory McPhail of Commander's Palace. Through determination and dedication to his craft, Tory has secured his place in the Commander's Palace family, as well as the restaurant's chef legacy. Tory discusses his career and relationship with the late Chef Jamie Shannon.

On this week's Louisiana Eats!, we set out to discover hot spots both literally and figuratively in our backyard. We begin at P?che Seafood Grill, where Chef Ryan Prewitt has been replicating live fire techniques he learned on a trip to Uruguay. Ryan explains how this new process has changed his entire perspective on cooking, and we get close to the flames as he shows us his kitchen's open hearth. If this is beyond your reach as a home cook, you'll want to stick around for Brian Landry's advice about cold smoking fish in your oven. Or if you'd prefer to go out, Chris Jay gives us the scoop on The Mabry House, a fine dining establishment located in Shreveport's Highland neighborhood. Then, Poppy joins the authors of the French Quarter Drinking Companion for a rain-soaked tour of classy drinking establishments and debauched hole-in-the-walls in the Vieux Carr?. We're lighting the fire and cooling off, on this week's Louisiana Eats! Milkfish Ceviche 1 pound drum or grouper fillet 1 cup coconut vinegar

It's Carnival time on Louisiana Eats! On this week's show, we take to the streets with a distinctive krewe of food lovers. We begin with author and songwriter Johnette Downing, who's also known as "the pied piper of Louisiana music traditions." Johnette shares her latest album, Swamp Romp, which, among other things, seeks to answer the eternal question, Who put the baby in the king cake?

On this week s show, we re sharing untold stories of lives spent in service

Valentine s Day is right around the corner, and we re in the mood for love on this week s episode In this hour, we meet two culinary couples who are making a mark on the New Orleans restaurant scene. We begin with Chef Susan Spicer and Chip Martinson. Back in 1998, The New York Times named Susan the "Quiet Star of New Orleans." Over twenty years later, Susan remains one of the city s most celebrated culinary figures, showcasing her talents at the helm of such restaurants as Bayona, Mondo, and Rosedale. We sit down with Susan to hear her reflections on a career of accomplishments. Although Susan s husband, Chip Martinson, pledged long ago to leave the restaurant industry, it was in a restaurant that he found his true calling. What started with building some tables for Susan s Lakeview restaurant, Mondo, sprung into a full fledged furniture business, facetiously named Monkey Wid A Fez. Then, we meet another chef couple Slade Rushing and Allison Vines Rushing. The two chefs were not expecting to find love over 1

On this week s show, we look at New Orleans history through the lens of the city s material culture. We begin at the Historic New Orleans Collection, which has played host to an annual gathering of antiques experts, collectors, and aficionados for over a decade. We speak to Philippe Halbert, who presented original research at the Antiques Forum centered on the material culture of the French Atlantic world. Next, we meet Jim Bruseth and Toni Turner, who reveal a surprising turn of events that preceded the city s official founding. Evidently, if the French explorer La Salle hadn t blundered in his attempt to form a colony here, we would have been celebrating our 300th birthday 30 years ago. And we ll spend some time with French furniture whisperer, Christophe Pourny, who evangelizes the gospel and history of dining room furniture in his new book, The Furniture Bible. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On Mardi Gras Day, it s never surprising to find magical, mythical creatures mingling with street revelers. In her new book, The Mermaids of New Orleans, author Sally Asher brings the effervescent underwater life of Mississippi River sea nymphs to life. One day a year, all mermaids may walk on earth and in New Orleans, that day is Mardi Gras Day. In this podcast, we sit down with Sally and Melissa Vandiver, the book s illustrator to learn the story of their inspirations and collaboration that resulted in one of the most charming children s books every written about New Orleans.

On this week s show, we take a look at immigration and its impact on the American food landscape. We begin with Rick Bayless, whose award winning Frontera restaurants are bolstered by workers who come from immigrant backgrounds. Rick explains how many of his staff members were brought to the country as children and are now facing an uncertain future. Then, Eddie Hernandez talks about harnessing the similarities between his Mexican culinary roots and Southern ingredients. Eddie has synthesized this cultural blending in his new book, Turnip Greens and Tortillas. Next, we meet Slavica Park of Denver s Comal Heritage Food Incubator. Slavica is blazing a trail for immigrants who dream of opening their own restaurants. Her food incubator is an inspiring space devoted exclusively to women who share these aspirations. And Edward Lee joins us for a conversation about how one s own heritage can inspire new culinary forms. His singular take on Southern foodways is deeply influenced by his Korean roots. Edward is a seven

Americans waste 373 million pounds of food each day. That s a pound per person. On this week s show, we re talking trash in a productive way, of course We meet a few individuals who are working to tackle the widespread problem of food and water waste. We begin with Baton Rouge based food industry veteran Susanne Duplantis. Her blog, Makeover My Leftover, offers tips on how to transform yesterday s scraps into today s delicious meal. Next, Lindsay Jean Hard tells us about her her book, Cooking with Scraps, which provides a reference guide for zero waste cooking. Then, Michael Hurwitz of GrowNYC joins us to discuss how highly motivated citizens have been working to make composting a regular part of New York life. Finally, we dive into the tempestuous depths of global water issues. EPA water scientist Eliot Sherman discusses water conservation and its impacts on the food and beverage industry. For more of all things Louisiana Eats, be sure to visit us at PoppyTooker.com.

On this week s show, we delve into the wonderful world of cookbooks. We begin with Chef Isaac Toups, who collaborated with acclaimed food writer Jennifer Cole on his debut cookbook, Chasing the Gator. The book pulls back the curtain on the new guard of Cajun cooking. Visit our website to hear a full length Quick Bites podcast with Isaac, which includes a cracklins tasting and a round of Cajun games. Nik Sharma also joins us to discuss Season Big Flavors, Beautiful Food, his delicious take on experimental Indian cuisine. Then, we take a visit to Kitchen Witch, a shop of books for cooks. When Philippe LaMancusa began his career in the restaurant industry back in the Sixties, he quickly learned that the more cookbooks he collected, the more culinary experience he could gain. With 10,000 books now in their collection, Philippe and his partner Debbie Lindsey have found a new home for their books and other collectibles in the Seventh Ward. And we meet Robert Palestina, Executive Director of The Cookbook Project. Th

Children in Louisiana grow up with so many local traditions that schools could practically add an extra class to cover all of them Luckily, songwriter Johnette Downing is around to set these traditional stories to music. Johnette s award winning books and songs have earned her many nicknames, from "the pied piper of Louisiana music traditions" to "the musical ambassador to children." She described her new album "Swamp Romp like this When thinking about a concept for this recording, we naturally thought of a Louisiana dance party for children filled with songs that evoke the joie de vivre, or zest for life, that we live everyday in Louisiana. This recording offers a m lange of many of the Louisiana roots music styles we love, from the Cajun, zydeco, and swamp pop of South Louisiana; to the rhythm and blues, gospel, jazz, brass band, and street music of New Orleans; to the rock n roll of North Louisiana; along with a small side trip to Mississippi. We asked our musician friends who represent the best in each ge

Join us this week as we celebrate the 96th birthday of a New Orleans icon, our dear friend, Leah Chase. We ll spend the hour honoring Leah s talent and achievements as the undisputed Queen of Creole Cooking. We begin on a special day we spent with Leah in 2012, when then Mayor Mitch Landrieu s office kicked off Carnival season at Gallier Hall with king cake and a lovely surprise for Leah. From there, we look back on Leah s early life in Madisonville, Louisiana. Leah describes what it was like to grow up on a strawberry farm as the eldest of eleven children. We continue with a piece from NOLA Life Stories, in which Leah recounts her first experiences working in a caf in the French Quarter, as told to Mark Cave of the Historic New Orleans Collection. Next, we arrive at a turning point in Leah s life the moment she met big band leader Edgar "Dooky" Chase, Jr. Following their marriage, Leah went to work at Dooky s, her in laws simple sandwich shop in the Treme. As she began to serve Creole classics like gumbo and