Faith Middleton Food Schmooze

There’s an art and science to making fresh-tasting, icy cocktails for a crowd from a pitcher or a punch bowl. Learn to make perfect batch cocktails so you can back away from the shaker or bar cart and actually enjoy the food, friends, and family at your own party. Cocktail writer Maggie Hoffman shares tips and tricks from the best bartenders in the country, along with recipes for nuanced, perfectly scaled-up cocktails specifically meant to fill pitchers and punch bowls. Also this week, since summer is right around the corner, Faith and the gang dream about all the classic summer foods they can’t wait to dig in to: lobster rolls, tomato sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, potato salad, berries and more.   Support the show.

Love avocados? Head over to Avocaderia in Brooklyn, NY. It’s the world’s first avocado bar, where every dish is an Insta-worthy avocado masterpiece. This week, meet one of Avocaderia’s founders, Francesco Brachetti and try several recipes from the cookbook inspired by the restaurant. Faith and the gang explore other single-food focused hotspots in NY and beyond. Plus, Clos des Lumieres, a French winemaker we love, has finally put a white in a box, and we’re declaring it the wine of the summer. Finally, 10th-generation farmer Craig Floyd is back on the show with an update on how he farms the Giving Garden at Coogan Farm, part of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, to help feed the 23,000 food-insecure people in New London County. Want to be inspired? Watch Farmer Craig’s TedTalk.Support the show.

Our guest, Dr. Aaron Carroll, is a professor at Indiana University’s School of Medicine and contributes to the New York Times at the Upshot blog. He’s a doctor who studies studies and determines the gold-standard studies. What’s the real deal with diet soda, red meat, coffee, and alcohol? The author of The Bad Food Bible shares his mind-blowing findings and puts us all at ease about some of our food choices by weighing the joy experienced vs. the actual risk to our health. Plus, a Star Home Cook shares her recipe for Lemon Drizzle Cake, and Sarah Nuland recommends a favorite NYC restaurant and shares exciting news about the Sherwin B. Nuland Foundation for Palliative Care.       Support the show.

Pasta every day! This week on The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze: Back Pocket Pasta. Recipes and tips from author Colu Henry on how to stock your pantry so you can pull together inspired pasta dinners on the fly. Think: Pasta Puttanesca, an Easter Ham Carbonara, and Porchetta Pasta (you can make this with any leftover roast!). Your weeknights just got easier. Plus, Chris Prosperi explains how to trim and prep one of our favorite spring ingredients—artichokes.Support the show.

People drive hours out of their way to experience the Red Truck Bakery in rural Virginia. Now you can make Brain Noyes' gold-standard recipes at home. The Red Truck Bakery Cookbook is filled with Brian’s stories (he’s a natural storyteller) and recipes you’ll want to make for friends and family—or President Obama, should you want to bake his favorite pie (he’s a fan!). Brain joins the party to share some of the stories behind the cakes and pies that have made him a household name. Faith and the gang also get ready for Mother’s Day brunch and toast to the new vintage of 11 Minutes, a rose wine made famous after the novelist Amy Bloom swooned over it on The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze® last year. Recipes featured in this episode: Barnyard Breakfast PieMadeleines for Jacques PepinDouble-Chocolate Moonshine CakeSupport the show.

Lidia Bastianich’s excellent memoir, My American Dream, is now out in paperback. Listen back to Faith’s intimate conversation with Lidia, support The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze® with your pledge, and we’ll send you Lidia’s memoir as our thanks. Get ready to be inspired! Support the show.

You asked for it, and we’ve got it for you: a Food Schmooze® hour dedicated to the Instant Pot sensation. Why have home cooks put their slow cookers aside and jumped on the Instant Pot bandwagon? (Even Faith has one now!). Bruce Weinstein, co-author of the blockbuster cookbook, The Instant Pot Bible, explains why Instant Pots have staying power and shares recipes for every size and model of Instant Pot. If you have an Instant Pot, do not miss the chance to get a copy of The Instant Pot Bible and support The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze® at the same time. For a gift of $6 a month or a one-time gift of $72 to Connecticut Public Radio, we will send you The Instant Pot Bible. With 350 recipes for breakfasts, lunches, dinners, snacks, and desserts, you’ll never be at a loss for what to cook in your Instant Pot again. You may even be inspired to get an Instant Pot, if you’re not one of the five million people worldwide who already have one.  Support the show.

This is a show for coffee lovers. Where’s your favorite coffeehouse? And what makes a coffee shop great? Coffee expert Jordan Michelman joins the party to share what he knows about everyone’s favorite morning beverage. Jordan is the co-author of the book, The New Rules of Coffee: A Modern Guide for Everyone. Faith talks with Jordan about coffee’s history, legendary coffee shops, and coffee trends. Did you know old-school percolators and instant coffee are making a come-back? Grab a cup of coffee—your favorite mug makes a difference—and unwind while listening to this buzzed-up edition of The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze®.   Support the show.

What’s your go-to dinner on Meatless Mondays? Faith and chef Chris Prosperi dream up a panko-crusted Portobello mushroom burger with Gruyere melting down the sides. Alex Province gives his Portobello burger a Spanish accent, while Mark Raymond takes his in an Argentinian direction. If you’re ready to eat less meat, but not ready to give up meaty textures, Robin Asbell, a plant-based eater herself, shares recipes and ideas from her book, Plant-Based Meats. The gang noshes on Walnut-Cauliflower “Ground Meat” Tacos and sips the new vintage of a favorite Malbec.Support the show.

Faith and the gang celebrate that ol’ American classic, meatloaf. Meatloaf 1,000 ways! Whether you like 100% beef, a meaty blend, or a meatless meatloaf, there’s a recipe idea here for every loaf lover. Plus, food writer Nik Sharma joins the party with an Indian-spiced international meatloaf, as well as other recipes from his beautiful cookbook, Season. Nik shares recipes for Margherita Naan Pizza, Sumac-Seared Scallops, and Spicy Chocolate Chip-Hazelnut Cookies. Also this week, local chef Ben Zemmel, from Alforno in Old Saybrook, talks to Faith about what it’s like to take over a successful family restaurant.Support the show.

Here’s the scenario: It’s a busy weeknight—you can’t stop at the market on your way home. What are you making for dinner? This week, we’re musing about our favorite weeknight meals pulled together from what’s in the fridge, cabinets, and pantry. Are you well-stocked with rice, beans, canned tomatoes, and spices? Do you have a great tomato sauce you can turn into three different meals? If not, we’ve got a recipe for you! Cookbook author Pam Anderson joins the party with her updated classic, How to Cook Without a Book. Plus, we’re sharing Domaine La Font de Notre Dame, a beautiful $20 red wine from the Rhône region of France. And Faith discovers that One-Ingredient Ice Cream recipe online.  Support the show.

What makes burgers so irresistible? Faith and the gang muse over the perfect burger, from the nuances in beef, to the ratio of toppings, to the types of buns. Burger love abounds. We’ll share your regional recommendations and talk to Josh Welch, a cattle farmer who also co-owns Graze Burgers, a farm-to-bun burger restaurant in Westerly, Rhode Island. Faith asks the executive chef of 1000 North (one of Michael Jordan’s restaurants) exactly what’s in the best burger she’s ever had, and we’ll share the new vintage of a red wine that pairs as well with burgers as French fries.Support the show.

This week, Faith and the gang talk to a soda historian about your favorite fizzy drink. You won’t believe the wacky soda flavors available now! Bacon? Bubble gum? Ranch Dressing? Poutine? Plus, we read some listener letters and talk to writer Janet Reich Elsbach about building community through food. Her book is called Extra Helping. And, Sarah Leathers joins the party to discuss the important work the Healing Meals Community Project is doing right here in Connecticut.Support the show.

The new Bear’s Smokehouse at the Stack in New Haven is officially open. Jamie “the Bear” MacDonald teams up with Jason Sobocinski on a year-round destination for BBQ and beer lovers. This Bear’s checks all our boxes. We’re so excited to have Jason, Jamie, and beverage director Conrad Meurice on the show. Plus, Faith and the gang share some treasured cookbooks and talk to Kristie Balisciano about the Easterseals of Waterbury’s 26th Annual Chocolate and Food Festival.   Support the show.

Bite into Bollyburgers from the new cookbook, Bollywood Kitchen. Author Sri Rao pairs Bollywood movies with Indian dishes anyone can make at home. Plus, Connecticut chef Prasad Chirnomula of INDIA in West Hartford joins the party, and our wine experts offer tips on how to order a bottle of wine at a restaurant, even if you know next-to-nothing about wine.  Support the show.

This week, we're revisiting our Valentine's Day show where Faith and the gang dream up entrées that put you in the mood for love and puzzle over Canada’s mysterious butter tart. Plus, Delia Cabe tells us where in New York you can find the city’s best literary pubs, cocktail bars, and taverns as we explore recipes from her book, Storied Bars of New York: Where Literary Luminaries Go to Drink.Support the show.

If like us, you crave comforting bowls of soup all winter long, we’ve got a cookbook for you. In fact, we’ve got a new kind of PARTY for you! Soup Swap by Kathy Gunst is not only full of soul-warming soup, stew, and chowder recipes, you’ll also learn everything you need to know to start a soup swap party of your own. Imagine making ONE pot of soup for friends and neighbors, and going home with MANY soups to eat now or freeze for later. That’s our kind of party! And Kathy’s are our kind of recipes: real ingredients, loads (and loads) of vegetables, nourishing stocks, rich broths, and garnishes that take a simple soups over the top (Grilled Cheese Croutons, anyone?). Grab a copy of Soup Swap and help support The Faith Middleton Food Schmooze® and WNPR/Connecticut Public Radio—YOUR local public radio station—at the same time. Swap $8 a month for a book that fosters community and inspires the most delicious parties. (Or skip the party and fill your freezer with these

One of Connecticut’s best chefs, Franco Camacho, joins the party for the whole hour. Franco is Executive Chef for both Geronimo Tequila Bar & Southwest Grill and Shell & Bones Oyster Bar in New Haven. Franco shares his secrets for the perfect guacamole and gluten-free pan-fried oysters. Plus, big news for Metro Bis (Congrats to our own, Chris Prosperi!) and the gang discusses what makes a great restaurant server. Insider info about the restaurant biz abounds. And, where is your favorite burger? Let us know on Facebook.Support the show.

The gang shares more restaurant hot spots (shout-outs to Old Wethersfield Country Store, Taste of China, ON20, Heirloom, Pierre's, Forbidden City Bistro, and more!) And Alex Province introduces Saumur, a lovely French white wine under $20. Fresh, with the right amount of acidity, it somehow worked with short ribs. Plus, Boston-based chef Matt Jennings joins the party to talk about his new cookbook celebrating New England, Homegrown. Get Matt’s recipes for Milk-Braised Chicken with Spiced Rice, Short Ribs with Moxie Beans, and a phenomenal Chocolate Beet Cake with Chocolate-Orange Glaze.Support the show.

Think you know everything there is to know about cookbook author, restaurateur, and PBS-favorite Lidia Bastianich? This week, Lidia joins Faith for an intimate conversation about her childhood in Italy—part of which was spent in a refugee camp—and her amazing life in America focused around food and family. Lidia’s memoir, My American Dream, is a story of resilience and gratitude. You won’t want to miss this uplifting hour of radio.Support the show.