This week I talk to Ashton Zubal from Farmstock Farm in Kingston, a collaboration between four idealistic young former professionals who left the big city to get back to the land. We discuss their motivations, their plans, and how far they've come in their first year. Enjoy!

CookPod

Episode 023: Ashton Zubal

This week I talk to Christopher Williams, head distiller at Coppersea Distillery in New Paltz. He brought whiskies to taste, and we discussed many things having to do with the making and drinking thereof. If you enjoy a wee dram, or have dabbled in brewing or distilling, or are interested in terroir and the Hudson Valley, this show will be a treat. Cheers!  

Episode 022: Christopher Williams

This week I talk to Megan Denver of Hudson Valley Bee Supply in Kingston. Bees are a critical part of our food supply, and she's doing terrific work as a business owner, educator, and activist. We had a lively and engaging conversation and I think you'll enjoy hearing what she has to say. Sweet!

Episode 021: Megan Denver

This week I talk with Avinash Jeff Barnes, the executive chef at the KTD monastery in Woodstock, New York. We discuss the long and winding path that brought him here, and the ways in which he has managed to combine cooking with music and spirituality to form a rich and fulfilling life. He's got some great stories, and I really enjoyed getting to know him. I hope you do too.

Episode 020: Avinash Jeff Barnes

This week I've got a double header from my trip to Seattle at the end of April. I spent my time there with Andrew Rubinstein, who has just launched Rubinstein Bagels after a couple of years perfecting his recipe and finding the right business partners. He and I went to grad school together and I went out there to see his first solo show and also do some geeky bagel recipe development for future specials. I also got to meet my old food blogger friend Brittany Bardeleben for the first time in real life, and we had a lovely chat about her life as a pastry chef. Enjoy!

Episode 019: Andrew Rubinstein and Brittany Bardeleben

This week I talk with Mark Bittman, long-time columnist at the New York Times and author of nearly 20 books. We talk about his history as a writer, and specifically the his practice and evolution as an advocate for home cooks, as well as Heated, his new venture with Medium. This was a fun one, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

Episode 018: Mark Bittman

This week I talk to Jeff Gordinier, the Food Editor at Esquire and author of the upcoming Hungry: Eating, Road-Tripping, and Risking It All With The Greatest Chef In The World. We had a long, wide-ranging talk that covered a lot of ground. He's an expansive thinker, and a hell of a writer, and if you're at all interested in food writing you'll find a lot to chew on. Enjoy!

Episode 017: Jeff Gordinier

This week I talk to Ross Bingham, the man behind Critical Mass Selections, one of my favorite wine importers. He's got a great story, and took an unusual route to his current occupation. We discuss all that (including what exactly a tinsel ruffler does) as well as the importance of a good palate and the burden of being English (which I can attest to since my father was). My only regret is that I didn't ask him to yell "The King in the North!" during the interview. 

Episode 016: Ross Bingham

This week I talk to Karen Washington of Rise and Root Farm in Chester, NY. She's an activist and advocate for community gardens in New York city and beyond. We talk about her long journey, the challenges of urban gardening, and how Rise and Root, now in its fifth year, is taking the model of growing food for under-served neighborhoods to the next level. 

Episode 015: Karen Washington

This week I talk to chef Gerard Viverito, an instructor at the Culinary Institute of America at Hyde Park. He knows as much about seafood as anybody, and we get into the challenging issue of sustainability in addition to covering his winding path to the CIA and his thoughts about culinary education today. If you care about where your food comes from, especially fish, don't miss this one. 

Episode 014: Gerard Viverito

This week I talk with British food writer Rachel Roddy, author of two excellent books on Roman and Sicilian cooking and one of the best food writers it has been my pleasure to know over the last decade. We spent a lot of time unpacking what it means to write about a cuisine that is not "yours", and especially the pitfalls about writing about Italian food as a non-Italian. She's great—smart, talented, and very perceptive—and I think we really got somewhere with this one. 

Episode 013: Rachel Roddy

This week I talk to David Burtka about his new book Life's A Party, a practical and engaging guide to entertaining throughout the year. Besides the book, we discuss his upbringing and career in musical theater, his subsequent decision to give up acting (temporarily) to study cooking, and the challenges of parenting in the digital age. He's as warm in person as the book suggests, and we had a good conversation. 

Episode 012: David Burtka

This week, my talk with Karima Moyer, author of The Eternal Table, a culinary history of Rome from its founding to the present. We talk about how she ended up moving to Italy 30 years ago, how she ended up writing books about Italian culinary history after studying theatrical design and dramaturgy, and what it's like to still be treated like an immigrant after such a long time living there. If you're interested in Italian food beyond just recipes, pick up her books. They will not disappoint. 

Episode 011: Karima Moyer

I just got back from Italy, where I recorded a few interviews. First up, Elizabeth Minchilli, one of the best-known American food writers living there. We talk about the path that brought her to Italy thirty years ago, her new book The Italian Table, and the culinary tours she leads with her daughter Sophie. 

Episode 010: Elizabeth Minchilli

This week I talk to Kathleen Finlay, Director of Glynwood, a nonprofit agricultural think tank and advocacy organization in Cold Spring. I've been a fan of theirs for a long time, and since she came on as director they've accomplished a great deal. We discuss the importance of goats, and of training farmers, and how essential regional food systems are to the health of individuals, communities, and the environment. 

Episode 009: Kathleen Finlay

Culinary conversations with food writer Peter Barrett