Recent Episodes

 

Dwight Furrow, the author of American Foodie: Taste, Art, and the Cultural Revolution, talks about the philosophy of food. We discuss everything the impact of everything from automobile to Alice Waters to the Slow Food movement have shaped the way Americans think about food.
 
 
 
 

 

Inbal Baum, the Founder of Delicious Israel, joins us to talk about where foodies should eat when they travel to her country.

• Shakshouka is a popular dish in Israel
• Israeli Breakfast is a distinct and important meal
• The modern cherry tomato has roots in Israel
• Tel Aviv and Jerusalem top the list of cities you should visit
• Beach season runs from April to October
• Rosh Hashana is a great time to visit Israel
• When you visit Tel Aviv, go to the Carmel Market, the Levinsky Market
• Try the date syrup, Silan

 

 

Food for Thought

• Q: After pita bread, what is the most common food used to “wipe” humus?
• A: Raw onion.

 
 

Out of the Frying Pan

• Favorite Spot for Outdoor Dining: Milgo & Milbar
• Favorite Place to Buy Spices: Cafe Arma in Levinsky Market
• Herbs to Try: Za’atar and Hawaij (in Yemenite Coffee)
• Favorite Winery: Sphera
• Favorite Place for Dessert: The Malabia
• Favorite Food Experience for Kids: Max Brenner
• Chef to Watch: Eyal Shani
• Dish to Try at Different Places: Shakshouka and sabich

Bennet Jacobstein, author of The Joy of Ballpark Food: From Hot Dogs to Haute Cuisine, talks to us about what foodies can find at different baseball stadiums around the country.

• Hot dogs and sausages are not the same thing.
• The quality of ballpark food was elevated in the 90s as new stadiums were built and food television shows took off.
• Stadiums have highlighted regional foods.
• Gordon Biersch‘s founder Dan Gordon introduced garlic fries at Candlestick Park in 1994.
• The song “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” was written in 1908.
• The Yankees replaced Cracker Jacks at one point, but brought it back after a public outcry.
• 

  San Francisco Giant Gordon Biersch Garlic Fries

  Veggie Happy spearheaded the movement to get veggie dogs sold at ballpark stadiums.

• Andrew Zimmern has a stand in the Minnesota ballpark.
• Rocky Mountain Oysters are bull testicles.
• “The Big Six” are the food companies that service the major ballparks.
• As you go from ballpark to ballpark, try the hot dogs at each to see how they’re done differently.
• Proceeds from Bennett’s book go to Second Harvest Food Bank.

 

Food for Thought

• Q: In what year were Cracker Jacks first served at a baseball game?
• A: 1896 in Atlantic City.

 

Out of the Frying Pan

Here’s what Bennet recommends you try at each ballpark:

• Yankees Stadium in New York City: Chicken and Waffles.
• Fenway Park in Boston: Lobster Roll and a cuban sandwich.
• Wrigley Field in Chicago: Chicago-style hot dog with Vienna beef.
• Turner Field in Atlanta: Boiled peanuts.
• Marlins Park in Miami: Cuban dishes.
• Safeco Field in Seattle: The Ivar’s hot dog (with fish) and cream cheese hot dog.
• Nationals Park in Washington D.C.: A cauliflower hot dog and presidential cupcakes.
• 

  Chicago White Sox Chicago-Style Hot Dog

  Busch Stadium in St. Louis: The BBQ.

• Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles: Tommy Lasorda Spumoni ice cream.
• AT&T Park in San Francisco: Crab salad, lamb sausages, and Gordon Biersch garlic fries.

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In this episode of the Find Dining Podcast, Laura Raymond of Destination Cuisine recommends The Usual Place in Sarasota, where Chef Chef Alessio serves up Italian dishes like Pork Shank. We discuss tightrope walkers, the plural of “octopus,” and the virtues of a cucumber cocktail.

• Read more about The Usual Place on Destination Cuisine
• Visit the The Usual Place website
• The Usual Place is located at 2157 Siesta Drive
• “Octopi” is probably not the correct plural of “octopus”
• Famous tightrope walker Nik Wallenda makes his home in Sarasota
• About.com says Sarasota is very walkable
• Chef Paul Mattison runs Mattison’s City Grille
• Chef Derek Barnes runs Derek’s Culinary Casual
• Get all-you-can-eat Stone Crab at Moore’s Stone Crab Restaurant
• Italian food is best prepared while listening to Andrea Bocelli

Laura recommends:

• Tagliere di formaggi e marmellate
• Pork Shank (a.k.a. the “Stinco al Forno”)
• Sampler of Italian Desserts

Sarasota Dining Districts to Explore:

• Main Street/Downtown
• St. Armands Circle
• Gulf Gate Area

Sarasota Food Events:

• Forks and Corks (January)
• Suncoast BBQ and Bluegrass Bash (April)

Food for Thought:

• Q: What seafood delicacy is only available eight months of the year?
• A: Stone crab.

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Restaurant with the Best View: Marina Jack
• Favorite Peruvian Restaurant: Selva Grill
• Favorite Place to Get Seafood: Crab & Fin or Sharky’s on the Pier
• Favorite Sushi Restaurant: Pacific Rim

 

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Jesse Rye is the Co-Executive Director of Food System Enterprise at Farm Fresh Rhode Island. He works with leadership staff to oversee the Market Mobile and Veggie Box programs, and directs the communications and financial management of the organization. We asked him a few questions about his nonprofit organization…
 

1. What is the mission of Farm Fresh RI?

 
Farm Fresh Rhode Island is a nonprofit organization dedicated to growing a local food system that values the environment, health and quality of life of Rhode Island farmers and eaters. Part incubator, part activator, we interact with local food, farmers and eaters on a variety of levels.
 
Each week we work with over 80 farmers and producers either through our farmers markets, market mobile distribution program or veggie box program. Our programs grow the local food system by building the capacity of producers, markets and eaters simultaneously. To achieve these ends, our programs work at the intersection of three main areas: wholesale aggregation & distribution; culinary production and education; and public markets.
 

2. What is the history of the organization?

 
Louella Hill and Noah Fulmer founded farm Fresh Rhode Island in 2004 with the intent of better connecting farmers to consumers. Both graduates of Brown University, the two founded the organization directly out of school. The intent was not simply to help farmers sell more products, but to encourage changes to Rhode Island’s food system.
 
By creating a healthier, more flavorful, diverse agricultural landscape Farm Fresh aimed to preserve open space, protect family farms and help rebuild Rhode Island’s food infrastructure. Farm Fresh started doing that work by creating a local food guide for Rhode Island and southeastern New England that gave people the necessary information they needed to become local shoppers. At the same time Farm Fresh opened a farmers market to help connect farmers with consumers. From there, the organization has continued to grow dramatically. For example, Farm Fresh now manages a wintertime farmers market which has grown to be the biggest winter market in New England.
 
Ten years later, Farm Fresh manages 8 markets in low-income neighborhoods throughout Rhode Island. SNAP benefits are accepted at all Farm Fresh markets and Farm Fresh assistants the implementation of this system at other markets throughout the state. In 2013 there was over $100,000 spent in SNAP benefits with Farm Fresh markets. With support from many funders, the Bonus Bucks program supplements SNAP users’ benefits at farmers markets by providing an extra 40% in tokens for fruit and vegetable purchases – an additional $40,000 in 2013. Healthy Foods, Healthy Families, a bilingual 16-week program for low-income families, with learning activities for both parents and children is presented at 5 markets and two community centers.
 
In 2009 Market Mobile debuted – an aggregation and distribution program designed from the ground up around the needs of small farmers. Every week of the year, 60 family farms and small food producers in Rhode Island and Massachusetts list their fresh produce, honey, eggs, dairy, meat and more for sale to wholesale customers in Rhode Island and Boston. The Market Mobile online ordering software pools together sales, delivery and invoicing so that the farmers and producers can focus on growing food and drop off all of their customers’ orders at the warehouse. Buyers just have one order form, delivery, and invoice to deal with no matter how many farms they buy from.
 

The Veggie Box program, started in 2011, is a subscription of fresh local food sourced from RI and MA farms delivered weekly to businesses, providing easy access to fresh produce for people all over Rhode Island. Veggie Box uses the strengths of the Market Mobile infrastructure to better serve individuals, workplaces and institutions. In the past two years, the program has quickly grown to meet the great demand from workplaces for easy access to fresh, healthy local foods.
 

RELATED: 5 Questions with Cindy Salvato of Savoring Rhode Island.

 

3. What produce is Rhode Island known for?

 
Rhode Island doesn’t have a signature agricultural product – meaning no equivalent to the Georgia peach. With that said, Rhode Island is a great agricultural state. In particular, the coastal climate and soils of Rhode Island are perfect for growing potatoes. We also have fantastic orchards. Our state fruit is the Rhode Island Greening apple – an American heirloom variety that dates back to the 17th century. It’s known for its crispness and tartness and it makes a perfect apple pie. We focus a lot on agriculture, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the thriving and growing Rhode Island aquaculture industry. Rhode Island oysters are the best!
 
Overall, Rhode Island is building a well-deserved reputation as a food destination. A big reason for that are the chefs, grocers and customers that prioritize supporting local farmers. In turn, we have farmers that are dedicated to growing the best produce they can.
 

RELATED: 5 Questions with Chef Sai Viswanath of DeWolf Tavern in Bristol, Rhode Island.

 

4. What are some of the food events that Farm Fresh is involved with? What can we expect at them?

 
Our annual event is the Local Food Fest. It takes place August 5th at Castle Hill in Newport. The Local Food Fest is an evening celebrating Rhode Island farmers, fishermen and food artisans. It features two-dozen local farmers and producers, teamed up with chefs from Castle Hill, the Newport Restaurant Group and many more. The event features local wines, beers, cocktails, live music, a photo booth, raffle and silent auction. It’s always a beautiful night filled with amazing food and a spectacular sunset.
 

RELATED: How well do you know the Providence food scene? Take our quiz and find out.

 

5. What is Farm Fresh doing with students?

 
In addition to the programs listed above we also operate the Harvest Kitchen Project and the Rhode Island Farm to School Program. Our Harvest Kitchen Project is a 15-week culinary and job-readiness training program for youth within the Division of Juvenile Corrections. The youth work to create a line of high-quality preserved foods using ingredients sourced from local farmers at a certified kitchen in Providence.
 
Our culinary training and education consists of: orientation to food service industry; basic methods of cooking and food preservation techniques; weights & measurements; herbs & spices; kitchen brigade and its philosophy; food ordering and kitchen preparation; sales and marketing of the food products; nutrition fundamentals; knife skills & identification; safety & first aid; field education at RI farms; understanding & participation in local farm sourcing; and food systems literacy
 
Products made in the Harvest Kitchen are sold at local stores, farmers markets and to wholesale customers via our Market Mobile program. In the long-term, proceeds from sales will sustain the Harvest Kitchen program. We envision forging strong partnerships in the community that benefit farmers and provide healthy options for consumers, restaurants and institutional food service buyers. The Harvest Kitchen staff also aims to foster good relationships with employers who provide employment/internship opportunities to our graduates to further their job readiness and employable job skills.
 
The Rhode Island Farm to School Project began in 2004 at Kids First and now continues at Farm Fresh Rhode Island as a part of our mission to connect every Rhode Islander with fresh, local food. At the same time that obesity and diabetes are occurring at record rates among children, the Farm to School Project empowers youth to think critically about the food they eat, to learn about nearby farms and how food is produced, and to taste for themselves that healthy, fresh foods can be super delicious. Paired with programs like Harvest Kitchen and Healthy Foods, Healthy Families, the Farm to School Project is a critical part of Farm Fresh’s strategy for fostering a culture of healthy eating in the next generation of eaters.

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In this episode of the Find Dining Podcast, Amanda Hicken of Clue Into Cleveland offers up another great restaurant recommendation: The Greenhouse Tavern in Cleveland, Ohio, where Chef Jonathon Sawyer serves up French and seasonally inspired gastropub dishes like Roasted Pig’s Head and Animal Style Frites. We talk about urban gardens, pickle bars, and eating eye sockets.

• Read more about The Greenhouse Tavern on Clue Into Cleveland
• Visit the The Greenhouse Tavern website
• The Greenhouse Tavern is located at 2038 E 4th Street in Cleveland
• Don’t believe what Forbes says about Cleveland
• Visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum
• The Cleveland Museum of Art is free!
• Shop at the West Side Market
• The Glass Bubble Project blows (glass)
• Chef Michael Symon (also of The Chew) hasn’t forgotten his Cleveland roots
• Chef Chris Hodgson hails from Cleveland
• Cabbage rolls and pierogis are big in Cleveland
• Check out beer from Great Lakes Brewing, Market Garden Brewery and Nano Brew

Amanda recommends:

• Hand Ground Beef Tartar
• Crispy Hominy
• Crispy Chicken Wings Confit
• Roasted Pig’s Head
• Animal Style Frites
• Buttered Popcorn Pot de Crème
• Jeni’s Ice Cream
• A “Kitchen Coffee” to thank the restaurant

Cleveland, Ohio Dining Districts to Explore:

• Ohio City
• Tremont
• Downtown

Cleveland, Ohio Food Events:

• Taste of the Browns (Fall)
• Silver Spoon Awards (hosted by Cleveland Magazine) (Spring)
• Dinner in the Dark (monthly, year-round)

Food for Thought:

• Q: What nationally known Italian chef got his start in Cleveland?
• A: Chef Boyardee.

Out of the Frying Pan Picks:

• Best Beer Selection: Buckeye Beer Engine
• Favorite Place to Eat Near the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: Winks Bar and Grille
• Favorite Place for Breakfast: Café Melissa
• Favorite Place for Drinks After Work: Velvet Tango Room
• Favorite Place to Get a Burger: B Spot
• Favorite Place for Outdoor Dining: Reddstone
• Favorite Place to Buy Cheese: The West Side Market
• Best Place for a First Date: L’Albatros Brasserie + Bar (fancy) or Happy Dog (casual)

 

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