Podcast

Is there an introduction needed here? Over her groundbreaking career, Ruth Reichl has served as the food editor of the Los Angeles Times, the restaurant critic of the New York Times, and the editor in chief of the legendary magazine Gourmet. She’s written juicy memoirs, mentored a generation of writers and editors, and still writes with regularity, curiosity, and a love for real journalism in her wonderful Substack newsletter, La Briffe. On this episode, Ruth joins us in the studio for a deep and lively conversation that covers everything from the legacy of Wolfgang Puck and Noma to visiting China in 1980 and her memories of the late, great Gourmet magazine. Last, we find out about a new documentary film Ruth worked on for several years. We hope you enjoy our conversation with Ruth Reichl. Also, allow us to introduce our new name (but same great TASTE!). Aliza and Matt get on the mic to talk about what This Is TASTE means, as well as some exciting plans for the future. Thank you to all of our incredible listeners! MORE FROM RUTH REICHL:Who Decides Style? [La Briffe]The Sushi Effect [La Briffe]A Dynamic Doc Profiling the Precarious State of America’s Food System [HR] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW:instagram.com/ruth.reichlinstagram.com/mattrodbardinstagram.com/taste

For the 35th anniversary of Pixies’ landmark debut album, SURFER ROSA, we take a detailed look at how it was made. After Charles Thompson and Joey Santiago bonded as suitemates at the University of Massachusettes Amherst, they decided to form a band. By putting an ad in the Boston Phoenix for “a female vocalist into Hüsker Dü and Peter, Paul and Mary,” they connected with Kim Deal, who was the only one to answer their ad. Deal’s husband, John Murphy, introduced them to drummer David Lovering and the Pixies lineup was solidified. As they began playing around Boston, producer Gary Smith offered to record a demo for them at Fort Apache Studios. After Ivo Watts-Russell of the label 4AD heard the tapes, he signed them to a contract and they released some of the demo recordings as an EP called Come On Pilgrim. They turned their attention to recording a full-length album and Watts-Russell suggested a young engineer named Steve Albini. Albini traveled to Boston to meet the band and they began recording the next day at a studio called Q Division. In this episode, guitarist Joey Santiago describes the early connection he shared with Charles Thompson and how SURFER ROSA solidified the band’s sound and was an honest depiction of who they were. David Lovering talks about his approach to simplifying his drumming and why SURFER ROSA remains his personal favorite Pixies album. Engineer, Steve Albini reflects on how this record marked the first time he worked with a band he didn’t know and how he set out to prove his value by making unique suggestions and how that impacted the finished product. From Charles and Kim’s contrasting vocal styles to their trademark loud quiet loud dynamics to the benefits of metal picks and recording in a tiled bathroom to the uniquely dark subject matter of the lyrics to the recorded sounds of the session underway, we’ll hear the stories of how the record came together.

Emily Sundberg has a knack for writing stories that get people talking. The freelance writer and mind behind the business newsletter Feed Me has an expert eye for trends in the food space and beyond, like the return of whole milk and the rise of the “shoppy shop”—you know, those cute, curated grocery stores that all seem to carry the same made-for-Instagram products. We’re thrilled to have her on the podcast to forecast the drink of the summer, the current state of founders in the direct-to-consumer space, and much more. Also on the show, Aliza and Matt predict the biggest foods and drinks of the summer. What will be the next Dirty Shirley?  MORE FROM EMILY SUNDBERG: Feed Me [Substack]Wellness Is Dead. Long Live the Martini  [New York Magazine]Welcome to the Shoppy Shop [New York Magazine] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW:instagram.com/emilysundberginstagram.com/alizaraeinstagram.com/taste

Here’s a bonus episode from our recent conversation with cookbook authors Eric Kim and Ali Slagle, live at Rizzoli Bookstore in NYC. Eric is a New York Times Magazine columnist and the author of the best-selling book Korean American. Ali is a recipe developer, consultant, and author of the best-selling I Dream of Dinner. Stay tuned for future episodes recorded live at Rizzoli. Subscribe to our newsletter for all of those details. MORE FROM ERIC KIM AND ALI SLAGLE:4 Books Eric Kim Can’t Live (or Cook) Without [Epicurious]The Secret to Mastering Your Cocktail Order [NYT Magazine]3 Perfect Grilled Cheese Recipes [NYT]This Fuss-Free Cookbook Has Eased My Weeknight Dinner Angst [BA]

Dan Frommer is the founder and editor in chief of the The New Consumer, an influential publication that covers the intersection of technology and consumer brands—and many of these brands live in the food world. We wanted to have Dan on the show to talk about some recent grocery store news and trends including Graza vs. Brightland, and to find out how the celebrated tech journalist started scrutinizing the canned foods aisle. We hope you enjoy this super entertaining talk with Dan.  MORE FROM DAN FROMMER:Can Canned Beans Have Their Tinned-Fish Moment? [TNC]Foxtrot has a New CEO. What’s Changing and What Isn’t? [TNC]A New Premium Card for the Erewhon Set [TNC]This Week’s Tiniest Social Media Drama Is About Olive Oil [NYT] FOLLOW, FOLLOW, FOLLOW:instagram.com/fromedomeinstagram.com/mattrodbardinstagram.com/taste

Normally during shows you can’t see my dick!

Wylie Dufresne is a legendary force in the New York City chef world. As the owner of wd~50, he pioneered a form of cooking, sometimes called modernist cuisine, and brought it to worldwide attention. And now he’s turned his attention to pizza with the opening of Stretch Pizza on Park Avenue. In this lively conversation, we talk about Wylie’s pandemic pizza project that went to the next level. We also discuss cookbooks and our shared love for the New York City shop Kitchen Arts & Letters. I hope you enjoy hearing from Wylie as much as I did.  Also on the show, we had the amazing Korean author Han Kang in the studio to talk about her fiction, including the International Booker Prize–winning novel The Vegetarian, and how food plays a role in her writing.  MORE FROM WYLIE DUFRESNE:The Chef Who Invented Fried Mayonnaise Will Open a Manhattan Pizzeria [Grub Street]Wylie Dufresne Finds His Ultimate Challenge [Resy]Wylie Dufresne Says He Is Forced to Close WD-50 [NYT]