The Zest

Latest Episodes:

How Gatorade Went from Gainesville to Global Brand Sep 02, 2021

Show notes

Dalia chats with Stephanie Bailes, president and executive director of Cade Museum for Creativity and Invention in Gainesville. The museum is named for the late Dr. James Robert Cade, a nephrologist (a.k.a. kidney doctor) at the University of Florida and the lead inventor of Gatorade.

Dr. Cade and his team developed Gatorade in 1965 as a carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage designed to keep Gator football players hydrated in the Florida heat. Today, Gatorade is a multibillion-dollar division of PepsiCo whose impact extends far beyond the world of sports. ESPN even documented Gatorade’s history in its 30 for 30 series.

Related episodes:

No Recipe? No Problem: How to Cook Using Your Intuition Aug 26, 2021

Show notes

With COVID variants looming large, many of us are back to cooking at home. Some of us never stopped. And while we’re all for supporting local restaurants, ordering takeout everyday isn’t always in the best interest of our wallets—or our waistlines. So friend of the pod Wendy Wesley is here with some guidelines for stress-free cooking. We're talking no-recipes, use-whatever-you-have-on-hand cooking.

Wendy is a registered and licensed dietitian and nutritionist based in St. Petersburg. She believes anyone can cook a great meal, with just a few guiding principles and intuition. And yes, she knows that sounds kinda woo-woo. But whenever Wendy’s on the podcast, she brings such practical advice to help us eat healthier and actually enjoy the process. So we’re in good hands, y’all. Here’s Dalia's conversation with Wendy, which we recorded in the spring.

Related episodes:

Alfresco Dining Tips from “Outdoorsy Diva” Lauren Gay Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

And she always looks fabulous. Her Instagram account, @OutdoorsyDiva, is worth a follow for the outfits alone. We figured someone so glam probably enjoys some pretty amazing meals, even while she’s roughing it. So we recently spoke with Lauren about how she got into adventure blogging and how we can all eat better in the great outdoors.

Related episodes:

Zak the Baker Keeps It Kosher Aug 12, 2021

Show notes

In Miami’s artsy Wynwood neighborhood, there’s a colorfully painted building that has people lining up around the block. Customers wait patiently for bagels, guava-cheese pastries and other treats. But not on Saturdays. The bake shop known as Zak the Baker is a kosher bakery that closes every week for the Jewish Sabbath. But the owner, 36-year-old Zak Stern, is not as religious as you might think. So why would a self-described “non-religious Jew” open a kosher bakery in the first place? Zak explained during our recent conversation. He also shared why he trimmed his trademark beard and why he has no plans to expand Zak the Baker to other cities.

Hungry for more? Check out these related episodes from our house of carbs:

Bonus Episode: The Zest on Florida Matters Aug 11, 2021

Show notes

The Zest and Florida Matters podcasts are produced by WUSF Public Media.

Season 4 Premiere: Disney Food Blog's AJ Wolfe Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

You might call it the most magical food blog on earth. Disney Food Blog, along with its accompanying YouTube and social media channels, is the uber-popular destination for Disney food news. Want to know the best Disney World restaurant for vegetarians, or how to get a birthday cake delivered to your room at a Disney hotel? DFB’s got you covered. In fact, the blog offers news, reviews and photos of anything food-related at Disney’s parks, resorts, events, cruise ships and even movies. Dalia recently spoke with Disney Food Blog’s owner and executive editor, AJ Wolfe, for her best Dis ney World dining tips. AJ’s blog has no official affiliation with the Disney company, so she’s not afraid to tell you which dining experiences are beauties and which are beasts.

Related episodes:

Coming Soon... Season 4! Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

New episodes drop every Thursday, beginning Aug. 5. Listen in your favorite podcast app or at TheZestPodcast.com.

Season 3 Finale: Dining with Salvador Dalí May 20, 2021

Show notes

It’s our season 3 finale, and unlike most of this season’s conversations, today’s episode was not recorded from Dalia’s bedroom closet. We bring you a fascinating look into the role food played in Salvador Dalí’s life and work. We’re sharing a recording of a presentation by Peter Tush, who is curator of education of the Dalí Museum in St. Petersburg. Peter gave the talk in April via Zoom as part of the Epicurean Delights series presented by Florida CraftArt.

Peter’s talk covers: eating, how food became symbolic for Dalí, cannibalism, edible architecture, digestion/excretion and the Dalí cookbook/dining. The Dalí cookbook Les dîners de Gala is available for purchase in the Dalí Museum store.

Related episodes:

How Chef Edouardo Jordan’s St. Pete Roots Gave Him a “Chitlins State of Mind” May 13, 2021

Show notes

In 2018, Chef Edouardo Jordan took home two James Beard Awards, including Best New Restaurant for his Seattle eatery JuneBaby. He was the first African-American ever to win in that category. But before Edouardo was history-making chef, the St. Petersburg native was a member of Boca Ciega High School’s class of 1998. He studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Orlando and got his start at Mise en Place Restaurant in Tampa before moving out West.

But Edouardo still has strong ties to Florida, including a virtual appearance at the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival on Saturday, May 15. This year's festival will be a hybrid event of live and online experiences. Eduardo chatted with The Zest’s host, Dalia Colón, from his new hometown of Seattle, Washington.

Related episodes:

Cocktails for Mom, or Anyone Who Could Use a Drink May 06, 2021

Show notes

As we head into Mother’s Day weekend, our guest is Derek Shaffer. And before you get all “What does a dude know about what moms like?!,” You should know that Derek is a bartender at CW’s Gin Joint in downtown Tampa. He’s seen plenty of moms order drinks, and he’s observed some trends about what they like. In our conversation, Derek shares ideas for treating Mom to a cocktail or mocktail hour that won’t leave her washing dishes on her special day. We also recognize that Mother’s Day can be painful for some people. If that’s your situation, then we hope this episode inspires you to honor someone else special, or just do something nice for yourself.

If you enjoyed this conversation, then we’d recommend these chasers:

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected