The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

Latest Episodes:

781: Eating With Funny People May 10, 2024

Show notes

This week, we're joined by two comedians to talk about their connection to food. First, Ivy Le, host of the podcast Fear of Going Outside. We quote, "Most nature shows are hosted by reckless white men, but avid indoors woman Ivy Le is an Asian mom with severe allergies. Last season, Ivy conquered camping. She's back, braving the outdoors to go hunting- or die trying!" Then, comedian Dan Ahdoot, the author of the new book Undercooked: How I Let Food Become My Life Navigator and How Maybe That's a Dumb Way to Live, talks to us about his connection to food and his family, his theories on relationships, and the journeys he's taken for a great meal.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 26, 2023 (originally aired)
May 10, 2024 (rebroadcast)

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Check Out: Be My Guest with Ina Garten Apr 30, 2024

Show notes

In each episode of Be My Guest, Ina does what she does best - welcomes a different friend at her home to talk about life, love, and career, all while cooking an amazing meal or two. Before she was a culinary icon, Ina was an iconic host - making her guests feel comfortable just as easily as she makes a four-course meal. Who wouldn’t want to spend an evening with her?

In this episode, actress Jennifer Garner joins her very own “queen” and “kitchen fairy,” Ina. As they revamp Jennifer’s grandmother’s cornbread recipe and make pizzas, they talk about Jennifer’s childhood in West Virginia, what it was like to move to Manhattan, and what she ate on repeat while filming 13 Going on 30.

If you like the episode, be sure to follow Be My Guest with Ina Garten wherever you get your podcasts. And so, without further ado, here’s an episode of Be My Guest with Ina Garten.

780: Spring Cookbook Roundup Apr 26, 2024

Show notes

This week, we are celebrating the spring cookbooks of 2023! First, we talk with Chef Lara Lee about her approach to flavorful meals using iconic Asian ingredients from her pantry, including recipes for her stellar Tom Yum Bloody Mary and Sambal Patatas Bravas - crispy potatoes topped with a sambal spiced tomato mixture and a bit of mayo! Addictive! Her latest book is A Splash of Soy. Then, we get deep into flavor combinations with Niki Segnit, author of The Flavor Thesaurus. She talks us through surprising flavor combinations that will inspire and expand your home cooking adventures. Then, we talk African home cooking with Lerato Umah-Shaylor, author of Africana, and her delicious recipes filled with traditional and modern flavors of African cuisine. From yassa butter to bejeweled aromatic fried rice and her delicious Akàrà; deep fried bean fritters with ginger & spring onions.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 12, 2023 (originally aired)
April 26, 2024 (rebroadcast)

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779: Fruits & Veggies with Abra Berens and Sheela Prakash Apr 13, 2024

Show notes

This week, we promise you will get your recommended dose of fruits and vegetables! Award-winning author Abra Berens takes us on a sweet and savory journey with fruit. From best cooking methods to subtle and exotic pickling methods- think Brined Cherries + Salty Snacks, to advice on picking the best fruit to throw on the grill. She’s the author of three books, Grist, A Practical Guide to Cooking Grains, Beans, Seeds, and Legumes, Ruffage: A Practical Guide to Vegetables, and her latest, Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit. Then, we turn to vegetables with food editor and author Sheela Prakash. Her new book is Salad Seasons: Vegetable-Forward Dishes All Year. The book is chockfull of imaginative uses for fresh veggies, including an amazing recipe for Spring Carrots with Burnt Butter and Labneh.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 21, 2023 (originally aired)
April 12, 2024 (rebroadcast)

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778: Spring Baking with Natasha Pickowicz, Esteban Castillo, and Chetna Makan Mar 29, 2024

Show notes

We’re all about baking today, from New York to Mexico to London by way of India. First, Pastry Chef Natasha Pickowicz talks to us about her favorite recipes and her baking process. Then, she shares her baking techniques, from bringing egg whites back to life to saving overbaked cakes by soaking them in delicious liquid. She is the author of More Than Cake: 100 Baking Recipes for Pleasure and Community, and she left us with her Fennel, Chocolate, and Hazelnut Spears. Then, Chicano Eats Food Blogger Esteban Castillo gives us a rundown of his favorite Mexican pastries and all the goodness Mexican panaderias have to offer, from cakes to jellos and even savory treats. He is the author of Chicano Bakes: Recipes for Mexican Pan Dulce, Tamales, and My Favorite Desserts. He left us with his recipe for Pan de Elote. And you can find more recipes on his site, Chicano Eats. Then, one of the most beloved contestants on the Great British Baking Show, Chetna Makan, talks about her love of baking and the ways she incorporates Indian spices and flavors into her sweets. Her latest book is Chetna’s Easy Baking with a Twist of Spice, and she left us with her recipe for Chocolate and Coconut Spiced  Self-Saucing Pudding.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

April 7, 2023 (originally aired)
March 29, 2024 (rebroadcast)

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777: Chef Robynne Maii Takes On Your Culinary Quandaries & Magic Crispy Things with Nik Sharma Mar 15, 2024

Show notes

This week, Honolulu chef Robynne Maii teams up with Francis to answer your cooking questions! First, we catch up on her connection to cooking and dancing, what she grew up eating thanks to her mom's love of faithfully following a recipe, and what she loves to eat as a Honolulu local. Then she dives right in with our listener questions, from what to do with leftover roast duck to how to make chili crisp. She leaves us with a recipe for Simple Smoked Fish Dip. After answering that listener's question about chili crisps, we thought it would be perfect to talk to the master of food science, award-winning writer Nik Sharma, about his favorite crispy things. He left us with a great oven technique for crispy shallots and a Chicken Kanji recipe.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 17, 2023 (originally aired)
March 15, 2024 (rebroadcast)

Celebrate kitchen companionship with a gift to The Splendid Table today.

776: Chinese Tea with Theresa Wong & Masala Chai with Leena Trivedi-Grenier Mar 01, 2024

Show notes

This week, we dive into the world of tea, its history, and traditions. First up, we visit the T Shop in New York City with East Asian tea expert Theresa Wong. Theresa leads Francis through a tea tasting, from black, thru oolong all the way to green. We learn a few brewing tips along the way as well. Then, food and culture writer Leena Trevedi-Grenier talks to us about the surprising story of Masala Chai's history and gives us an in-depth guide to spicing and techniques for making the perfect cup. You can find her recipe for Fresh Ginger Masala Tea here.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

March 3, 2023 (originally aired)
March 1, 2024 (rebroadcast)

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798: On the Road – Orange County, CA with Gustavo Arellano, Daniel & Brenda Castillo, Kenneth Nguyen & Patricia Huang Feb 23, 2024

Show notes

This week, we’re bringing you a show we recorded with LAist in Orange County, CA, one of the richest food scenes in the US. We talk to award-winning journalist Gustavo Arellano about the evolution of OC’s culinary scene, the immigrant influences, and how its diverse foodways continue to be embraced by the different generations. Gustavo is the Los Angeles Times columnist and author of Taco USA: How Mexican Food Conquered America and his latest, A People’s Guide to Orange County; then, Chefs Brenda and Daniel Castillo of Heritage Barbecue join the stage to talk about making Texas barbecue in CA and making it their own and then, Kenneth Nguyen, host of The Vietnamese Podcast and Patricia Huang, former general manager of the famous Asian 626 Night Market, talk about Orange County's Asian street food culture.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 23, 2024 (originally aired)

Donate to The Splendid Table today and we will show our appreciation with a special thank-you gift.

775: Home Cooking with Gavin Kaysen Feb 16, 2024

Show notes

This week, we talk about home cooking with Minneapolis chef Gavin Kaysen. He tells us how he finds a balance between cooking at home and cooking at a restaurant and writing his latest cookbook, aptly titled, At Home. He shares tips for making the cooking process less stressful and how to think about it as an enjoyment versus a task. He leaves us with one of his family's favorite recipes: Spatchcock Chicken with North African Spices, Sweet Potato Hash, and Broccolini. Plus, he sticks around to answer your cooking questions.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

February 17, 2023 (originally aired)
February 2016, (rebroadcast)

724: The Power of Smell with Harold McGee Jan 05, 2024

Show notes

Have you ever wondered why things in the world have the smells that they do? Food science writer Harold McGee, long a fan of flavor, explored the world of smell to find out. He joins Francis to talk about his discoveries, explaining how he “listens” to smells, and what it can teach us about our lives. He’s one of the legends of food science writing and is the author of On Food and Cooking, the beloved, best-selling, game-changing culinary guide. His latest book is Nose Dive: A Field Guide to The Smells of the World.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

December 4, 2020 (originally aired)
December 10, 2021 (rebroadcast)
January 5, 2024 (rebroadcast)

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