podcast

The actors talk the L.A. fires, the RZA, a "Chicago" tune-up and more.

Eric Kim has a signature style with his writing, which has appeared frequently in the New York Times, where he is a columnist for the magazine. Eric blends a truly lyrical style of prose with deep reporting chops and a knack for simple and highly focused recipe development—a rare triple threat! He’s also the author of the best-selling cookbook Korean American. This is a return visit to the show for Eric, and we talk about his reporting process, how he unpacks big topics in food and culture in his columns, and some of his recent work, including dumplings, Chicago pizza, the origins of Philadelphia cream cheese, and many other memorable stories. Also on the show, it’s the return of Three Things, where Aliza and Matt share what’s interesting in the world of restaurants, books, television, food products, and much more. On this episode: Birria La Flor is doing Tijuana-style birria in Brooklyn, Caroline Eden’s great memoir Cold Kitchen, Flour + Water dry pasta is terrific. Also, a Kingston, New York, scene check. Matt visits Pinkerton’s Bakery, Fantzye Bagels, and Sorry, Charlie. Also, also: Severance is a good show, and not Westworld (we hope), and Matt tries Frost Buttercream. 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 ERIC KIM:It’s Dumpling Week! [NYT]What Puts the ‘New York’ in New York Cheesecake? [NYT]The Most Surprising Thing About Deep Dish Pizza? It’s Not That Deep. [NYT]

Emily Wilson is a writer based in Los Angeles and runs the terrific publication The Angel, covering the city’s legendary restaurant scene. On this episode, recorded before the devastating wildfires, we hear about how Emily views her city’s technicolor restaurant scene. What are her favorite places to visit for all occasions? She has quite a list. And check out The Angel’s guide on how to support wildfire recovery efforts. Also on the show, Matt walks the floor of the Winter Fancy Food Show, an annual trade show featuring the best in grocery and CPG. He spotted a number of exciting discoveries, including:Joyus Non-Alcoholic Cabernet Sauvignon Spritz King Chipotle Smokey and Spice Tanglewood Ginger Spiced Chai Mauka Meats Veal Stock Island Sausage Belle Chevre Spreadable Goat Cheese Chalet Cheese Eddy's Homemade KitchenMaazah Magic Sauce Eataly CPG Vermont Creamery Marieke Gouda Uncle Waithley's Frost ButtercreamTamarind Heads  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 ABOUT LOS ANGELES:L.A.'s Most Interesting New Restaurant is a Mile Away from LAX [The Angel]Is It a Bar? Or Is It a Restaurant? Who Cares? It’s Sam’s Place [The Angel]Southern California Road Trip: Orange County and the San Gabriel Valley [Apple]