A Taste of the Past

Latest Episodes:

Episode 164: Anne Northup: Northern Creole Cookery Feb 20, 2014

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda’s guest is culinary historian, storyteller, and Soul Food authority, Tonya Hopkins. Linda and Tonya talk about American master cook Anne Northrup (wife of Solomon Northrup) and the significance she had on American cuisine and in particular, soul food. This program has been sponsored by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Today’s music provided by Plexophonic.

Image from Accessible Archives

“People think of ham as cooked and salted, but people made their own ham back then.” [26:00]

—Tonya Hopkins on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 163: American Icons: Chocolate Chip Cookies and SPAM Feb 13, 2014

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda explores the origin of the chocolate chip cookie. Her guest Carolyn Wyman is the author of The Great American Chocolate Chip Cookie, among other books that document the history of America’s most iconic foods. Later, Linda and Carolyn discuss the history of SPAM. This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. Today’s music provided by Plexophonic.

“Cookies are not on the dessert menu for most restaurants; it’s more of a home food.” [23:45]

—Carolyn Wyman on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 162: Is Candy Food? Feb 06, 2014

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past: is candy food? Linda Pelaccio interviews Samira Kawash, author of Candy: A Century of Panic and Pleasure. Samira explains to us how difficult it was to make candy back in the 1800s, and how technological innovations allowed the candy industry to boom. Later, she and Linda discuss society’s perception of candy, how many other foods and beverages are less healthy, yet candy can be an easy scapegoat. This program has been sponsored by Many Kitchens. Today’s music provided by Takstar.

“The tradition in the 19th century was candy was a luxury, and it was for special occasions.” [9:40]

“I think it’s easy to look at candy and see it as really the scapegoat of our anxieties around the role of sugar in our diet and the dangers of eating foods that are far away from the farm.” [17:25]

—Samira Kawash on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 161: History of Salmon as Food with Nic Mink Jan 30, 2014

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda talks to Nic Mink, professor at the Center for Urban Ecology at Butler University, President and co-founder of Sitka Salmon Shares, and author of Salmon, A Global History. Nic tells us about the various evolutionary mechanisms that salmon have developed to survive. Later, Nic and Linda discuss the developments in catching and storing salmon – from wild to farm-raised, line caught and canned. Tune in to hear the whole discussion! This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. Today’s music provided by The Hollows.

“Salmon was kind of nature’s first convenience food.” [10:40]

“If you ever see on a menu ‘Wild Atlantic Salmon’, that restaurant is either doing something incredibly bad, or they are mislabeling their menu.” [24:45]

“The best thing to do for a wild salmon actually is to eat one!” [34:05]

Nic Mink on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 160: Andrew Smith Jan 23, 2014

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past, the subject is New York City food. Linda speaks with Andrew Smith, author of New York City: A Food Biography, about the history of food in New York City. Andrew brings us back thousands of years, and describes what the food culture were like throughout time. After the break, they discuss some specific food establishments such as the automat and the supermarket that imposed varying levels of change on the food industry in New York and nationwide. This program has been sponsored by Whole Foods Market. Today’s music provided by Four Lincolns.

“From about the 1830’s on, New York City became the major sugar refinery not just for the north but for the entire country.” [15:25]

“New York is really the beginning of what we think of as bagels.” [20:25]

Andrew Smith on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 159: Gustavo Arellano & Taco History Jan 16, 2014

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio welcomes guest Gustavo Arellano to discus the history of the taco. Gustavo is the author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America, an editor at OC weekly, and a contributing editor to the LA Times. Linda and Gustavo discuss the evolution of the meal we now know as the taco, and how the taco differs around the U.S. This show has been sponsored by S. Wallace Edwards & Sons. Thanks to Pamela Royal.

“There’s a time for every taco and a season for every torta.” [12:35]

Gustavo Arellano on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 158: History of Refrigeration Jan 09, 2014

Show notes

“A cold chain is a supply chain that transports and stores temperature sensitive perishable goods. The most visible manifestation of the cold chain is the electric household refrigerator.” – Jonathan Rees

The world was changed by the innovation of refrigeration. This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio is joined by Dr. Jonathan Rees. Dr. Rees is a professor of history at Colorado State University – Pueblo, and the author of Refrigeration Nation. Tune in to hear about the origins of the ice industry and ice boxes, and learn about ‘the cold chain’. Find out how compression refrigeration developed during the Civil War era, and why the marketing of refrigerators in the 1940s relied on size. Learn why cold storage was a controversial political issue, and how refrigeration was essential to the development of the supermarket. How were frozen foods received upon their arrival? Find out on this week’s edition of A Taste of the Past! This program has been sponsored by Regional Access. Music by Jack Inslee.

“Ice was something that all classes were interested in, whether or not all classes could afford it.” [5:50]

“Producing food and having it spoil is just as harmful to the environment as refrigeration.” [17:10]

— Dr. Jonathan Rees on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 157: Alice Ross on the History of Christmas Dinner Dec 19, 2013

Show notes

This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio explores the roots of the Christmas celebration. She brings in guest Alice Ross, a distinguished culinary historian who recreated the recipes for a modern version of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Dinner”. Alice brings us through history, explaining where countless Christmas food traditions come from. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. Music provided by Pamela Royal.

Image from AliceRoss.com

“Even though we think of turkey as an American bird, it was brought over to Europe and propagated there.” [20:15]

— Alice Ross on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 156: Robert Sietsema on The History of Pizza Dec 12, 2013

Show notes

This week on a thrilling episode of A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio brings in features writer for EaterNY.com, Robert Sietsema. Robert educates us on the history of pizza, and enlightens us about where many aspects of modern pizza originated. After the break, they discuss more in depth how pizza and the pizza industry spread throughout Italy and the U.S. This program has been sponsored by Heritage Foods USA. Music provided by Pamela Royal.

“Totonno must have made one hell of a flatbread.” [13:50]

“In Naples when you get a piece of pizza, you know what you drink? You drink that great old American beverage, Coca-Cola.” [21:45]

— Robert Sietsema on A Taste of the Past

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Episode 155: Open Hearth Cooking Nov 21, 2013

Show notes

Imagine having to cook Thanksgiving dinner over an open fire! This week on A Taste of the Past, Linda Pelaccio is joined in the studio by historical interpreter Carolina Capehart. Carolina is a hearth-cooking expert, and prefers to cook all types of food over an open flame. Tune into this episode to learn what tools were used in the 1800s to boil vegetables, roast meat, and bake breads. Hear why Carolina is so dedicated to historical accuracy. Carolina explains how the colonialists pioneered local and seasonal eating- out of necessity! Learn about the founding ideals of the United States as an agrarian society. How does the language of the 1800s confuse the recreation of historic recipes? Collect some firewood and slaughter a hog; it’s time for this week’s episode of A Taste of the Past! This program has been brought to you by White Oak Pastures. Music by Pamela Royal.

“Anything you can cook these days, you can cook oven an open fire. It’s just about learning a different system.” [3:45]

“These days, everyone says that you need to eat seasonally and locally. Back in the 1800s, they did that, but mainly because they had to!” [20:20]

“90% of people back then were farmers. That was Jefferson’s ideal- an agricultural society.” [23:10]

— Carolina Capehart on A Taste of the Past

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