The Zest

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The Olive Grove Brings a Taste of Tuscany to Brooksville Apr 18, 2024

Show notes

To get a gallon of the freshest olive oil, you could grab your passport, pack a suitcase and fly more than 5,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean from the Sunshine State to Tuscany.

Or you could drive to Brooksville—as in, Brooksville, Florida. The quiet Hernando County town is prized for its bike trails and camping sites. Brooksville is also home to The Olive Grove—yes, that’s the official name. It’s a property owned by husband and wife Cambren and Dede Davis.

The Zest’s host Dalia Colón and brand manager Alexandria Ebron recently visited The Olive Grove for a tour. As you’ll discover if you visit, olives are only the beginning. In addition to selling freshly pressed olive oil and other olive products, The Olive Grove is also an event space, concert venue, Airbnb and farm. If you’re lucky, you just might get to name one of the resident chickens.

The Davises’ property is among a growing number of olive groves in the Sunshine State. To learn more about the challenges and opportunities of olive oil production in Florida, check out Dalia’s article in the summer 2024 issue of Forum, the magazine of Florida Humanities.

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For Young Adults—Especially Those with Special Needs—Cooking Skills Bring Independence Apr 11, 2024

Show notes

The transition from high school to college can come with a steep learning curve. For many students, it’s their first time juggling classes, laundry, roommates, a social life and all the rest without the help of Mom and Dad.

The changes can be particularly challenging for young adults with special needs. So in 2020, the University of South Florida established UMatter. It’s a program that gives extra support to students with intellectual disabilities, to help them succeed in college and beyond.

As part of the program, UMatter students at USF St. Pete recently took a six-week cooking workshop with nutritionist, dietician and occasional Zest guest Wendy Wesley. The classes were held in the kitchen of Allendale United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg. Students learned to cook simple, weeknight recipes that they can replicate at home; then they ate what they cooked. The class also covered topics like menu planning, food safety and label reading.

Dalia met up at the church with Wendy and one of her students, Taylor Moore. They discussed takeaways from the class, including recipe ideas for anyone living on their own for the first time.

The UMatter program is only available for eligible students. But Wendy offers small-group cooking classes that are open to the public. For details, contact Wendy through her website.

Related episodes:

14 Tips for Cooking Faster at Home

Students Dish on Dorm Food, Shared Kitchens and Cooking in College

Eat Better, Feel Better: Simple Swaps from Carly Paige of FitLiving Eats

How to Prepare Restaurant-Quality Meals at Home: Advice from Chef Dennis Littley

“Bread Saved My Life”: Jax Bread Co. Owner Nana Bonsu-Hammond Apr 04, 2024

Show notes

The New Testament Book of Matthew says, “Man does not live by bread alone.” But ask Nana Bonsu-Hammond, and she’ll tell you that without bread, she wouldn’t be the independent businesswoman she is today.

Nana is the owner and executive chef of Jax Bread Co. It’s a bakery and cafe on Jacksonville’s Southside.

Nana recently chatted with Dalia about the bread here in the United States versus overseas and why she says bread saved her life.

If you’d like to learn more about starting a cottage food business, then check out our previous episode on that topic.

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For Ginain Grayes of CookPraySlay & Cook the Garden, Growing Food Is a Spiritual Experience Mar 28, 2024

Show notes

This week, we’re heading into the backyard of Ginain Grayes. The busy wife and mother shares family-friendly recipes on her website, CookPraySlay, and she hosts the podcast Cook the Garden. (Dalia was a guest on the 3/19/24 episode.)

Dalia visited Ginain at her home in Riverview for a tour of her garden and a chat at the kitchen table. In this conversation, Ginain shares how her native country of Suriname influences what she cooks, she offers creative uses for food scraps, and she shares why she views gardening as a spiritual experience.

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Bonus Episode: Dalia’s New Cookbook, “The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook” Is Out Now! Mar 26, 2024

Show notes

You might have heard that Dalia wrote a cookbook. It’s called The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook, and it’s out today. It’s available through University Press of Florida, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other booksellers.

Dalia was recently a guest on Florida Matters, where she chatted with host Matthew Peddie about The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook and the latest season of The Zest. They also discussed advice for getting out of your weeknight dinner rut and tips for cooking with kids. We’re sharing their conversation here as a bonus episode.

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“The Sporkful” Host Dan Pashman on Pasta, Podcasting & Imposter Syndrome Mar 21, 2024

Show notes

This week, we’re chatting with foodie podcaster and author extraordinaire, Dan Pashman.

Dan is the two-time James Beard and Webby Award-winning creator and host of The Sporkful, which he started way back in 2010, before many of us had even heard of a podcast.

The Sporkful is still going strong, and Dan is just getting started.

In 2021 Dan released cascatelli, a new pasta shape that he invented. Cascatelli went on to be named one of Time Magazine's best inventions of the year, and you can now buy it online and in stores across the country. Dan recounted his three-year journey to create cascatelli in the Sporkful series Mission: ImPASTAble, which the New York Times named one of 10 Best Podcasts of 2021.

And this week, Dan adds another feather to his cap: the publication of his first cookbook. It’s called Anything's Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes For Saucy People. The launch will be accompanied by a Sporkful series about the making of the book.

Dan is also heading out on a book tour, which swings through Florida on March 28. He’ll be Sanctuary of the Arts in Miami, in conversation with James Beard Award winner and former Zest guest Carlos Frías.

Dan chatted with Dalia from his recording studio in New York about the good, bad and ugly of writing a cookbook, his favorite outside-the-box pasta recipes and what he looks forward to eating when he visits Florida.

Thanks to this week's guest host, Chandler Balkcom.

Related episodes:

Miami Herald’s Carlos Frías on Cuban Coffee, Edible Iguanas & Winning the James Beard Award

Pasta Packs Co-Founders Nic & Greg Bryon on Pandemic Dinner Parties, the Flour Your Pantry Needs and Cooking While Black

How to Start a Cottage Food Business in Florida: Lessons from the Lentil House

“Florida Foodie” Co-Hosts Lisa Bell and Candace Campos Dish on Their Favorite Orlando-Area Eats Mar 14, 2024

Show notes

Today we’re getting to know the hosts of another food podcast we think you’ll enjoy: Florida Foodie.

The show is produced by Orlando’s CBS affiliate, News 6 WKMG, and hosted by news anchor Lisa Bell and meteorologist/anchor Candace Campos. The ladies chatted with Dalia about Central Florida’s changing culinary landscape and their favorite places to eat.

Related episodes:

Chef Art Smith Talks Politics: “Fried Chicken Takes No Sides”

Food Blogger Ricky Ly on Orlando’s “Tasty Chomps”

“Latino Orlando” Author Dr. Simone Delerme on the Rise of Florida’s Hispanic Restaurants & Markets

Brenda Popritkin of ‘The Whet Palette’ on Her Favorite Miami Restaurants and Dining Out with Special-Needs Kids Mar 07, 2024

Show notes

Cuba may be only 90 miles from Florida, but for Brenda Popritkin, the food experience has been night and day.

After spending her early childhood on the island eating rationed eggs and rice, young Brenda moved to South Florida, where she discovered an abundance of steak, pastries and coffee windows.

Now as an adult, Brenda is the brains behind The Whet Palette. It’s a blog and podcast covering food and wine in the Miami area or wherever her travels take her.

Dalia recently chatted with Brenda about her favorite South Florida restaurants, the food trend she’s excited about and her first impression of McDonald’s hamburgers. She starts by explaining how being the parent of two kids with special needs led to her passion for fine dining.

Related episodes:

Chef Niven Patel and Mohamed Alkassar Had a Productive Pandemic

Miami Herald’s Carlos Frías on Cuban Coffee, Edible Iguanas & Winning the James Beard Award

Michelle Bernstein’s Jewish-Latin ‘Mishmosh’ of a Life

Talking Seoul Food with Miami’s 2 Korean Girls

Couples in the Kitchen: Darren & Danessa Domingo Feb 29, 2024

Show notes

This week we’re wrapping up our Couples in the Kitchen series with Darren and Danessa Domingo. The couple are the influencers behind the popular Instagram handle Food People Luv, in which they explore Tampa Bay’s diverse cultural cuisines.

Darren’s family is Filipino, and Danessa’s is Haitian. In this conversation, they discuss the foods they grew up eating, how a mission trip led to love and their favorite date night spots.

Related episodes:

Couples in the Kitchen: Bryce Hudson & Ryan Ahmann Feb 22, 2024

Show notes

Pre-order Dalia's first cookbook, The Florida Vegetarian Cookbook!

This week, we’re continuing our Couples in the Kitchen series with the pair who inspired the series. By day, Bryce Hudson is an artist and his husband, Ryan Ahmann, is a real estate agent. But at dinnertime, the couple turn into gourmet chefs, spending hours cooking together and posting the mouthwatering photos on social media.

Dalia sat down with the guys in the dining room of their century-old St. Petersburg home. The guys share why cooking elaborate meals is one of their favorite ways to spend time together.

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