Podcast

Cree Myles is the curator of the Black literature community All Ways Black and the host of The Baldwin 100, a new podcast from Vintage Books examining James Baldwin’s life and words to commemorate one hundred years since his birth. She’s also one of our favorite sources of book recommendations, and it’s so fun to have her on the show to go deep on the intersection of food and literature.  Also on the show it’s the return of three things where Aliza and Matt discuss exciting food and drink on their radars. On this episode: Indian snack attack from Doosra and Confusion Snacks, Island Creek Oyster Farm’s tinned clams are our home cooking go-to, Hey Champ hand-dipped snacks, a visit to Brooklyn’s Montague Diner, Lexington Bakes has a new brownie format and it rules, Strange Delight might be the NYC restaurant of the summer, and long live the Seashore Flats.       Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM CREE MYLESHow One Book Influencer Championing Black Authors Is Changing Publishing [NPR]The Baldwin 100 [Apple Podcasts]Strange Delight Channels New Orleans in All the Best Ways [The New Yorker]

On release day of the new album Milton + esperanza, bassist, composer, singer, songwriter, and producer esperanza spalding returns to SHEROES to discuss the two decade long journey she has been on since her college days at Berklee when she first heard Brazilian legend Milton Nascimento singing on the Wayne Shorter album, Native Dancer, and the full circle moment that brought her to working with Milton to produce this collaborative new album.

"Every show is life and death for me."

Living Colour and fascism expert Dr. Ruth Ben-Ghiat talk personality cults, propaganda and the fascism playbook

We welcome back our good friend Akira Akuto to the show. Akira is the Los Angeles–based chef who was behind the acclaimed LA sandwich and pastry counter (and so much more) Konbi, which closed up shop in early 2023. In this episode we speak with one of the more clairvoyant voices in the restaurant world. Akira is brutally honest about why a seemingly successful restaurant was anything but. We talk about the difficulties chefs and operators face on a daily basis and why California in particular is a challenging landscape for small-business owners. We also chat about what he’s been up to recently and the Japanese citrus he’s backing in a major way.  Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM AKIRA AKUTO:Konbi, Home to the Best Egg Salad Sandwich in L.A., to Close Both Locations [LA Times]America's Best New Restaurants 2019 [Bon Appetit]This Is TASTE 164: Akira Akuto [TASTE]

Olive Odyssey is a Palestinian olive oil collective working to build demand, supply chains, and economic power for Palestinian farmers since 2022. Today cofounder Aya Faour, a professional olive oil taster, is on the show to share how Olive Odyssey is working to build collective power and partnering with groups like Rose Los Angeles to create special collaboration products that are funding aid in Gaza. Los Angeles listeners! Reserve a ticket for Koreaworld x Caldo Verde on August 15. Matt will be joined by chefs Deuki Hong and Suzanne Goin for a really fun collaboration dinner. Do you enjoy This Is TASTE? Drop us a review on Apple, or star us on Spotify. We’d love to hear from you. MORE FROM OLIVE ODYSSEY:Olive Odyssey [official]Foragers [official]High-Minded Edibles for the Farm-to-Table Era  [TASTE]