More Recent Episodes

 

In this episode of the Find Dining Podcast, Australian high school chemistry teacher James Kennedy tells us how fruits have evolved over time. He tells us the story of his infographics about the evolution of food that have gone viral on the internet.

• Check out James’ blog
• James got the idea for his infographics after working on David McCandless‘ book, Knowledge Is Beautiful: Impossible Ideas, Invisible Patterns, Hidden Connections–Visualized
• Learn about the evolution of watermelon, corn, and peaches.
• Bruce Ames tested the toxicity of artificial and natural compounds using the Ames Test.
• You should read Jarred Diamond’s Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies

 

 

Food for Thought:

• Q: What is the most popular foreign cuisine in Britain?
• A: Indian food.

 

 

Out of the Frying Pan:

• Esthers are awesome (see chart)
• The chemistry of Starbucks
• Favorite YouTube Channels: Chef Steps, Gordon Ramsay, and Jamie Oliver
• Where to Include Food in Your Chemistry Lessons: Organic Chemistry and Thermochemistry
• What to Get the Science Foodie as a Gift: Gift certificates to a restaurant that uses molecular gastronomy, such as one of Heston Blumenthal‘s

 

 

 

In this episode of the Find Dining Podcast, Alanna Rodgers, founder of Tru Bahamian Food Tours, tells us all about the food scene in the Bahamas. We discuss hurricane season, octopus, and tropical fruits.

• Check out Alanna’s food tours
• Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas
• Try some conch. It’s a male aphrodisiac.
• Try some goat pepper.
• Find blue crabs on the island of Andros.
• Guava duff is a unique Bahamian dessert.



• Try an authentic fish fry at Arawak Cay.
• Get fantastic Bahamian food at Bahamian Cookin.
• Connect with Bahamian locals using the Ministry of Tourism’s free People-to-People program.
• Check out the market at Potter’s Cay.
• Find some art at Doongalik Studios.
• Peas and rice is not the same thing as rice and peas.
• Try Kalik or Sands beer.
• The John Watling’s Distillery produces rum.

 

Food for Thought

• Q: What is the national food of the Bahamas?
• A: Conch.

 

Out of the Frying Pan

• Favorite Foodie Event: Paradise Plates (benefits Hands for Hunger) or the Junkanoo Festival
• Most Romantic Restaurants: Compass Point Beach Resort, Mahogany House, or Cafe Matisse
• Famous Chefs: Chocolatier Erika Davis and Chef Tim Tibbitts
• Food Trucks: Dino’s Gourmet Conch Salad

 
In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Suzy Badaracco, founder of Culinary Tides, tells us about the world of food trend forecasting. We discuss how the impact of Hurricane Katrina, the economy, and the movie Frozen on what people eat.

• Read Suzy’s articles on Fast Casual.
• Follow Suzy on Twitter.
• Suzy has a background in chaos theory.
• Dark Travel is tourism to the site of a historical conflict or disaster.
• Hushpuppies are better if you know what they are.

 

RELATED: Listen to our discussion with author David Sax about food trends.

 

Food for Thought

• Q: Where did the french fry come from?
• A: Belgium (to replace the fish during the winter months).

 

Out of the Frying Pan

• Mocktails are non-alcoholic cocktails for adults (part of the low-alcohol trend)
• Flexitarians are part-time vegetarians
• Bleisure is a business trip with a couple of extra vacation days tacked on
• Food labeling is being debated at a government level
• So are GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms)
• Mondelez vending machines will talk to you.
• Vending machines are also coming to your taxi cab.
• Digital wallets are coming to the food industry.
• Secret menus are for people in the know

 

 

In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Chef Michael Cimarusti, owner of  Providence in Los Angeles, tells us about his culinary journey.  We discuss his time cooking in France, the secrets of seafood, and his family’s recent culinary travels in Europe.Restaurant critic Johnathan Gold of the Los Angeles Times named Providence on his Top 101 Restaurant List in 2013 and 2014.
 

• Chef Michael and his wife studied under Larry Forgione at American Place


Providence Restaurant

• Compare the formality of Le Cirque to the causal elegance of Spago
• Michael shaped his first menu at Water Grill
• When in England, it’s okay to bring the kids to Dinner by Heston Blumenthal
• Find J Sheekey in the Theatre District of London
• Zio’s is a great old school restaurant
• Head to Seasalter to eat at the pub at the Sportsman
• When in France, dine at Arpege, Le Coquillage, or be a guest at Michel Bras’ inn
• When in Spain, enjoy tapas at Arzak in San Sebastian

 

RELATED: Where to Eat in Los Angeles.

 
 

Food For Thought:

• Q: To what did Julia Child attribute her longevity and good health?

• A: A steady diet of red meat and gin.

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Influential cooking shows or books: Le Livre de Michel Bras, Simply French: Patricia Wells Presents the Cuisine of Joel Robuchon
• Favorite local merchants/farmers: Sea Stephanie Fish
• 

  Fresh Sea Scallop

  Dish for newly adventurous eaters: uni in champagne reduction

• Favorite beverage to pair with seafood:  wine or sake
• Great place to get dinner for under $20: Pizzeria Mozza
• Chefs to watch in Los Angeles: Josiah Citrin at Melisse, Jon and Vinny at Animal, Jeremy Fox at Rustic Canyon, Chad Colby of chi Spacca
• Advice for up-and-coming chefs: Work hard, stay inspired, and learn the history

 

In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Laura Siciliano Rosen, co-founder of Eat Your World, tells us about her culinary adventures in Istanbul, Coastal Yucatán, and New York City.

• Eat Your World is designed to guide you on where to find authentic local cuisine, where to stay, and how to burn off all those delicious calories
• Check out Eat Your World’s Kindle guides
• Laura uses Chowhound and eGullet for her initial culinary research
• Local flavor is often very budget-friendly, but save room for the occasional high-end splurge
• Indulge on the Fried Chicken Skin appetizer at Husk in Charleston, South Carolina
• 

  La fonda de refugio escamoles

  Eat adventurously with escamoles in butter (ant larvae) in Mexico City

• Read all about the best hot dogs in America in Men’s Journal
• Taste the James Beard Award-winning hot dogs at Olneyville New York System
• First time visitors to New York City should try Momofuku, Gramercy Tavern, explore the ethnic diversity of Jackson Heights, Queens
• Laura’s list of 23 “must eat” dishes in New York City includes a Katz’s pastrami sandwich, an egg cream, and a coal oven pie
• 

  Egg Cream at Eisenberg’s Sandwich Shop, New York, NY

  In Coastal Yucatan (Rivera Maya), get a taste of Mayan culture at Yaxcae in Playa del Carmen, and try the Dutch-influenced Queso relleno

• When in Istanbul, Istanbul try Kaymac

RELATED: Don’t Leave New York City Without Trying These Five Dishes

 

Food For Thought:

• Q: What popular American brunch dish originated in New York City in the late 19th Century?
• A: Eggs Benedict

 

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• 

  Kaymak in Istanbul, Turkey

  Favorite winery: Harmony Cellars (Harmony, CA)

• Favorite place to get coffee: Bean and Leaf in New London, Connecticut or Café de Olla when in Mexico
• Favorite marketplace: Oaxaca Mercado de la Merced, Mexico City, Farmer’s Market in Queens
• Favorite food trucks: Austin food trucks
• Favorite place to get brunch: Istanbul (Turkish breakfast)

 

 

 
In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Sam Poley of the Durham Convention and Visitors Bureau tells us what makes the food scene in his North Carolina city unlike anywhere else. We discuss the close-knit chef community, what to do between meals, and the different styles of Carolina barbecue.

• Come hear Sam speak at the 2014 Food and Travel Expo
• Bullock’s Bar-b-cue is the oldest restaurant in town
• Durham was named the “Tastiest Town in the South” by Southern Living
• Bon Appetit named Durham the “Foodiest Small Town in America”
• New York Times listed Durham among the top 41 places in the world to visit
• Try the international chocolate drinks at Cocoa Cinnamon
• 

  Nana’s Restaurant (photo by Jeana Lee Tahnk)

  Nana’s is one of the oldest and most respected restaurants; dress the same as if you were going to Nantaco

• Happy China is a great place for authentic Chinese food
• Sara Foster, the woman behind Foster’s Market, is a well-known culinary hero
• For barbecue, check out Ed Mitchell‘s Que or Dan Ferguson’s The Original Q Shack
• Head to Saltbox Seafood Joint for the seafood if the fish guy is on time
• Get the pig ears at Pizzeria Toro or try the pig tails at Mateo Bar de Tapas
• Don’t miss the Food Truck Rodeo or find lots of food trucks at the Durham Farmer’s Market on Sunday
• Check out the food at the Centerfest in September
• Sample locally-made charcuterie at Rose’s Meats and Sweets
• Beer lovers should check out Fullsteam Brewery, Bull City Burger and Brewery, Triangle Brewery

 

RELATED: See who else is coming to the Expo

 
 

Food for Thought

• Q: Durham is the only place in the US where this spirit is legally made and bottled.  What is is?
• A: Krupnikas

 

RELATED: Discover the food scene in Asheville, North Carolina.

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• 

  Durham Farmers’ Market (photo by Dan Hacker Photography)

  Best Outdoor Dining Options:  American Tobacco Historic District,   Gughlhupf in the Rockwood District,  Vin Rouge in Ninth St District
• Best Place for Kids: Geer Street Garden, Motorco Music Hall,
• Place to get a great cocktail: Mateo Bar de Tapas, Alley Twenty Six
• Chefs to watch: Matt Kelly, Phoebe Lawless, Scott Howell
• Best Place for Dessert: Scratch, Loaf, Monuts Donuts, Daisy Cakes, Cocoa Cinnamon, The Parlour

 
 

 
In the 100th episode of the Find Dining podcast, we take a look back at  some of our favorite interviews.   From Ireland to Thailand to Russia,  here’s a sampler platter from our first two years.
 
 

Hear the full episodes:

• Taste honey with Marina Marchese
• Learn about the culinary history of Ireland from Helen McDaid
• Author Anya von Bremzen talks about her first food experience in America
• Hear how Matthew Amster-Burton of the Spilled Milk podcast took his daughter on a culinary vacation to Tokyo
• Shane Kost of Food Tour Pros discusses the state of the food tourism industry
• Chef José Duarte  of Taranta in Boston tells tales of his culinary expedition to the jungles of  Peru
• Erik Wolf of the World Food Travel Association explains the psychographs of foodies
• Author David Sax breaks down the impact of The Food Network and the celebritization of chefs
• Learn how Top Chef‘s Shirley Chung found her culinary voice
• Izabela Wojcik of the James Beard Foundation tells us who James Beard was
• Sarah Hackney of the National Sustainable Agricultural Coalition talks about the future of farming in America
• Larry Kass of Heaven Hill Distillery in Louisville details the life of bourbon barrels
• Chef Andy Ricker of Pok Pok in Portland, Oregon tells us the story behind his restaurant’s name
• Chef John Currence of City Grocery in Oxford, Mississippi tells us about his efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina
• Legendary Chef Grant Achatz of Alinea in Chicago shares the story of his battle against tongue cancer

 
In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Elle Armon Jones of Big Foody Food Tours talks about culinary travel in New Zealand.   We discuss adjusting to opposite seasons,  Pacific Rim cuisine, and how Lord of the Rings put New Zealand on the tourist map.
 

• Come hear Elle speak at the 2014 Food and Travel Expo
• Auckland is the biggest Polynesian city in the world, with over 200 nationalities represented
• Celebrate New Zealand’s seafood bounty with the Scallop Festival or the Bluff Oyster Festival
• Air New Zealand is a great way to get from one island to the other or rent a car and take the Interislander ferry
• Visit in March to enjoy the autumn Cheese Festival or take in the wine harvest
• Be sure to explore  Hawke’s Bay, Wairarapa, Marlborough, Nelson, and Greenstown
• Get a taste of Wellington on a Plate
• The Lucky Taco is on the forefront of Auckland’s food truck scene
• Keep an eye out for Al Brown, Annabel Langbein, Peta Mathais, Nadia Lim
• When in Auckland, grab breakfast or lunch in Ponsonby, shop in Newmarket, or explore the beach in Takapuna
• Learn more about New Zealand’s native fish at the  Seafood School

 

RELATED: See who else is coming to the Expo

 
 

Food for Thought

• Q: In New Zealand, it’s called a kumara.  What is it called in the US?
• A: sweet potato

 

RELATED: Can’t get enough wine and cheese? Try taking a tour of Spain

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Favorite Winery: Peacock Sky on Waiheke Island
• Dish to compare restaurants by: Mussel fritters
• Favorite market: Parnell  or Hobsonville  Point
• Beverage to try: 42 Below Vodka  or Broken Heart Gin
• Typical New Zealand dessert: Pavlova or Denheath custard squares
• How is Australian food different? Italian food is more prevalent in Austrailia, particularly Melbourne
• Place with a great view: Mount Eden

 
In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, Christopher Bakken, author of Honey, Olives, Octopus: Adventures at the Greek Table and the English Department Chair at Allegheny College talks about culinary travel in Greece.   We discuss travel writing, harvesting olives, and hunting for octopus.
 

• Come hear Christopher speak at the 2014 Food and Travel Expo
• Take a writing workshop with Greece as your backdrop
• Need some reading material for your next flight?
  
  • Enjoy the classic works of M.L.K. Fischer, such as  The Art of Eating: 50th Anniversary Edition
  • Get in to the kitchen with Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly (P.S.) or Heat: An Amateur’s Adventures as Kitchen Slave, Line Cook, Pasta-Maker, and Apprentice to a Dante-Quoting Butcher in Tuscany
  • Take a journey with Patrick Leigh Fermor beginning with A Time of Gifts: On Foot to Constantinople: From the Hook of Holland to the Middle Danube (New York Review Books Classics)
• Island hop using ferries and find a room for rent at a local home or small inn
• Agritourism is an growing industry in Greece
• When in Greece, enjoy a mid-day mesimeriano feast

 

RELATED: Download a free chapter of Chestopher Bakken’s book, Honey Olives, Octopus.

 
 

Food for Thought

• Q: On which Greek Island did Vin Santo originate?
• A: Thera (Santorini)

 

RELATED: Food Writer Ann Mah Masters Food in France

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Restaurant with a great view: Balcony of Pension Archodissa
• Favorite Greek Wine: Assyrtico  and Xinomavro
• Advice on Greek honey: try thyme honey
• Favorite market: “Two Doors”,  a hidden gem one block down from the Great Athens market
• Favorite beach: Orkos beach in Naxos
• Dish to compare restaurants by: Greek salad
• Restaurant customs that may surprise an American tourist: It’ll take a while to get the check because they don’t want you to leave
• Favorite dessert: watermelon and feta with a glass of tsipouro or ouzo

 
In this episode of the Find Dining podcast, we talk to Chef Cesin Curi of Los Andes in Providence, Rhode Island about Bolivian cuisine.   We discuss opening a restaurant with his brother, the differences between Bolivian and Peruvian food, and what makes a great ceviche.
 

• Sample Cesin’s food at the 2014 Food and Travel Expo
• Quinoa and potatoes are staples of cuisine in the Andes Mountains
• Chuno is an ancient South American method of preserving potatoes
• Los Andes Restaurant features a 475 gallon coral reef fish tank
• Come see the replica of Tihuanaco when it opens on the restaurant’s second floor
• “Chifa” is the blending of Chinese and Peruvian food traditions
• Gaston Acurio has been instrumental in bringing Peruvian food to the rest of the world

 
 

Food for Thought

• Q: How many different varieties of potatoes exist in the world and of those, how many come from the Andes?
• A: Approximately 5000; about 80%

 

RELATED: Explore the Jungles of Peru with Chef Jose Duarte

 
 

How to Make Ceviche

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Best time of year to go to Bolivia: April or May
• Dish to use a basis for comparing restaurants in Bolivia: Salteña
• Drinks to try: Chuflay or Yungueno
• What’s wine like in Bolivia: Excellent quality, but made in very small batches
• Dessert to try:  Gelatin de Pata, flan, or tres leches
• Food Festivals to visit: Copacabana in La Paz, second Saturday in August
• Restaurant customs that may surprise an American tourist: Many dishes are meant to be eaten with your hands
• Must try dish(es) at Los Andes: Ceviche, beef heart (anticuchos)