Feeding the Soul

What do all 4 of things have in common… functional and immune boosting foods and drinks, Cannabinoids, plant based meats, and Ready-to-Drink (RTD) Wine Cocktails and Seltzers?Well I believe they are all top food and beverage trends of 2022Welcome to feeding the soul podcast, a podcast devoted to discussing food and drink culture. On today's episode, we are talking about food and drink trends!  

IntroductionW: Welcome to feeding the soul podcast, a podcast devoted to discussing food and drink culture. On today's episode, we are coming to you LIVE from Bryant's cocktail lounge located in Milwaukee Wisconsin. J: Three reasons we are here this evening·       #1 - This claims to be Wisconsin's oldest cocktail lounge·       #2 - They are the creator of the funky retro classic cocktail called the Pink Squirrel, actually it could be the cocktail that put Wisconsin on the map ha-ha ·       and #3? W: #3. This is perhaps one of the “perfect” cocktail treats to make for your special someone on Valentine's day. J: And you know, it's never too early to start thinking about all the important holidays, like sweetest day, ground-hog's day, arbor day and oh yea, Valentine's day. Setting aside my own sarcasm for a moment, I think this seriously is Wook's favorite holiday. J: Wook, tell us your thoughts about Valentine's day. I asked you this question last year on our Episode 5 Valentine's podcast, and kind of waffled on the response…ha-ha. I have given you a year to think about it. Okay, what do you got?W: Still one of my favoritesJ: Hey, I just want to mention something about Ground Hog's day, which you know Wook is coming up. Have you marked it yet on your calendar? Who the heck even came up with this holiday, and what does it even mean? On February 2, there's this critter in Pennsylvania who comes out of his hole and either sees his shadow and get scared and something happens or he doesn't see his shadow and then nothing happens. No one understands it. There are more rules to this than Ultimate Frisbee. It's supposed to make spring come more quickly or something. It doesn't. It's February! And February in Chicago!!! We still have two more months of cold. How about giving us "Take a Trip to Florida" day? That's all I really want in February.

Hey, I just want to mention something about Groundhog day, which you know Wook is coming up. Have you marked it yet on your calendar? Who the heck even came up with this holiday, and what does it even mean? On February 2, there's this critter in Pennsylvania who comes out of his hole and either sees his shadow and get scared and something happens or he doesn't see his shadow and then nothing happens. No one understands it. There are more rules to this than Ultimate Frisbee. It's supposed to make spring come more quickly or something. It doesn't. It's February! And February in Chicago!!! We still have two more months of cold. How about giving us "Take a Trip to Florida" day? That's all I really want in February.

IntroJ: Welcome to feeding the soul, a podcast devoted to discussing food and drink culture. On today's episode, we are talking chicken wings!W: cluck cluck cluck…ha-ha. Chicken wings are often called simply "wings" or one of the most famous preparations of chicken wings—“Buffalo wings”.W: In the United States, chicken is more widely consumed than any other meat, and it's quite possibly the most consumed meat throughout the world. The average American consumes about 201 pounds of chicken meat annually. J: Consumers love the taste and practicality of chicken; as it marries well with a variety of flavors, cooking methods and recipes.W: John, you mentioned “Buffalo Wings, I didn't know that buffalos have wings! Haha, well the most famous dish made from the chicken wing section is not coming from Buffalos, but was invented in a bar in Buffalo New York.J: A Buffalo wing in American cuisine is an unbreaded chicken wing section (flat or drumette) that is generally deep-fried and then coated or dipped in a sauce consisting of a vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and melted butter prior to serving. W: They are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing or, primarily outside of New York, ranch dressing for dipping.

Italiano - Italian Beef SandwichWelcome to feeding the soul podcast, where we explore the culture and cultural differences associated with one's food and drink.On today's episode, we are talking Italiano…the Italian beef sandwich. Most intelligible adults that grew up in and around Chicago know all about the classic Italian beef sandwich. So for non-Chicagoans, an Italian beef sandwich originates from Chicago, the famous windy city. This satisfying sandwich is a portable and inexpensive flavor bomb. It's composed of a heaping portion of oven-roasted, thinly sliced seasoned roast beef. This tender and flavorful meat is dipped in a rich au jus (fancy French word that means “with juice” which are the meat drippings or gravy from the original cooking of the meat) and then nestled on a long French Roll.

Introduction·       P: Welcome to feeding the soul podcast…the coolest podcast in the whole world. On Today's episode, it's a Taste of Thailand. Enjoy the show!·       J: In Thailand, food forms a central part of any social occasion, and it often becomes the social occasion in itself or a reason to celebrate. ·       W: In American culture, when friends or family meet up, we might meet up and ask, “how are you doing”? But in Thai culture, family and friends unite and share through food. The central question is, “have you had a meal yet, are you hungry?” ·       J: While food is important to many cultures—In Thailand it plays such a central part of bridging connection. This is partly due to the friendly, social nature of Thai people, but also because of the way in which food is ordered, served, and eaten. ·       W: Thais eat slowly and enjoy the food, as a meal is also an opportunity for sharing with loved ones.·       J & W: This is so opposite to my culture (American and Korean)The Typical Thai Meal·       J: When eating out, or making a meal at home, a group of Thai people would eat a variety of meat (chicken or pork) and/or seafood dishes (especially from the south or southeast due to proximity of the sea), then add on some stir-fried vegetables, possibly soup, and most definitely a side of rice. ·       W: Dessert may consist simply of fresh fruit, such as pineapple or any of the tropical fruits that are common in the country (guava, durian, mangosteen, papayas, pineapple, bananas, tamarind, or mangoes, amongst many). Or it could be something more elaborate, like colorful rice cakes, rice dumplings coated in coconut, grass jelly, or a bean dessert.

Intro·       J: Welcome to Feeding the Soul podcast, where we explore the culture and cultural differences between one's food and drink. ·       W: Sometimes you need to feed your soul and on today's episode, we will be exploring PIES! Pie is a savory or sweet food item that consists of a filling (such as meat or cheese in the case of savory pie or another option is fruit or custard in the case of sweet pie) within a pastry shell.·       J: As one of the most versatile food items, pies easily shift to fit any season and potentially any occasion or time of day. And whatever your taste preference is, several pie possibilities exist, from classics to some more unconventional ones allowing either one to comfort and revitalize the soul. Whether you're craving classic apple, sugary pecan, rich chocolate silk or tangy strawberry-rhubarb, there's a pie for YOU. ·       W: While pumpkin may be mandatory at your Thanksgiving table, it may seem out of place at a spring picnic. And since fresh berries are plentiful in summer, a cooling strawberry pie would be more at home at a backyard barbecue than a snowy, winter night. ·       J: There's no need to limit your creativity to just taste, or seasonality because the look of a pie can be an art form, too. We've seen pies in jars, as pops, with lattice tops or piled high with toasted meringue. 

Welcome to Feeding the Soul podcast, where we explore the culture and cultural differences between one's food and drink. On today's episode, we explore the hot dog. John and I sought out 5 well known hot dog joints and wanted to get a taste of what they had to offer.  So whether its wrapped in bacon, covered in cheese, doused in mustard or ketchup, piled high with chili or peppers – or whatever the toppings, the hot dog can be found all throughout the United States in its various forms and interpretations.Most people may not want to know what's inside their hot dog. Essentially it's this intestine encased flavor bomb, that we the hot dog, but it's certainly a coveted part of this country's national cuisine. As popular as this food item is, it's not native to the USA, as the roots of this quintessential baseball companion go back centuries with its origins in western Europe.

Have you ever smelled something that transported you back to your childhood? Or maybe smelling an old sweater or pillow brought you back to one of your long lost romantic partners? Well this is the work of something called, “odor evoked autobiographical memory”.On today's episode, we are exploring our sense of smell and how a specific scent can bridge our memory and bring us to the past…recalling or eliciting an emotion, physiological or psychological response. The concept of scent or smell, is one of our most powerful senses in allowing us to consciously or subconsciously evoke both positive and negative emotional reactions.When one goes about their normal routine, we don't always pay attention to it, but we experience countless scents throughout the course of our day. At any given point, we inhale thousands of odor molecules every time we take a breath. They come from whatever is around us, our hands, our clothes, someone's body odor, etc. We are often not conscious of what we sense, because olfaction is part of the subconscious. 

Episode 9 - Smoking - Low & SlowOn today's episode, we are talking about smoking…smoking meats that is!! WOW! John spent the day preparing and smoking a brisket with Chef Proprietor, “John Badal” of North Branch Fried Chicken. His restaurant is located on the northwest side of Chicago. Later on in this episode, we will bring in Chef Badal to add his approach on smoking a brisket.Ahh yes, Chef John and I smoked a brisket together just last week and we want to take you through the process and nuances of the experience. Give us a follow on our: Instagram:  @feeding.the.soul365Website:  Feedngthesoul365LinkedIn: Feeding the Soul 

What does it mean, “comfort food”? And what causes someone to seek comfort food?Comfort food is an ingredient or a dish that not only provides sustenance, but also an emotional element (usually from a happier time) in offering nostalgia or sentimental value to someone. This is always going to be specific to an individual, and may apply to a specific culture, your generation or your living situation.When under emotional stress or exhaustion, we may turn to what could be called 'comfort food'—food associated with the security of childhood, good times, or a memory or experience from the past such as, Mom's chicken soup, or your grandpa's gumbo.Comfort foods provide a temporary sense of wellbeing, and they make a person feel good. Foods high in sugar, fat, or salt tend to elevate mood by stimulating the brain's reward system. In fact, according to Psychology Today, the same reward and pleasure centers associated with drug addiction are active when comfort foods are consumed.

When one thinks about their life, it's probably difficult for most of us to imagine it without having great friendships. This is a meaningful episode for both of us as we are featuring our very first guest. Our guest this week, is someone who has been a great friend, mentor, colleague. Everyone, we'd like to introduce, Chef Tom Beckman!

Today's topic is picking up from where we left off with episode 4 – The Legends of the Steakhouse, so think of today as a sort of part 2! In this episode we will focus on steaks and chops – popular cuts, the aging process, degrees of doneness, sauces and 6 tips for replicating a high quality steakhouse cut of steak in the comfort of your own home.In episode 4, we discussed briefly a few of the popular steak cuts in a typical steakhouse. We wanted to expand on them and provide a little more technical information which can allow you to make better decisions for your own personal enjoyment. Let us review the important cuts and then and dive in and detail each one. 

If you're trying to figure out what to do on Valentine's Day, just know that there are no rules: It's a new era, and you can celebrate the day of love however you want, even if it's just through self-love. Planning a simple, yet elevated Valentine's Day 3-course menu paired with wine might be the way to go. Listen to our advice and learn how to impress and honor yourself or your special someone.

Today's episode is about the steakhouse, (or chophouse) which is a restaurant that specializes in steaks and chops as their main plates. Modern-day, steakhouses can be found in abundance as they are a part of most major cities and metropolitan areas. And in some cases they can be found within ethnic inspirations such as Argentinian, Brazilian and Korean influences throughout the landscape. Personal side noteWe wanted to take a moment to share one of our most recent experiences that we had together in a steakhouse. It was located in the northwest Chicagoland suburbs, called, “Chicago Prime”. Before we dive in and tell you about our experience lets first define what a steak is aboutHow are we defining a steakhouse?A restaurant that offers a main focus of steaks and chops. Broadly speaking, the culinary characteristics of the classic steakhouse include:Very large portions of steak, generally grilled to individual preferences.A luxurious shellfish selection, typically served in elaborate towers.Rich and indulgent but simply prepared side dishes, such as creamed spinach.Typically, a wine list that emphasize medium to full-bodied red wines and also presenting classic cocktails such as the Marini, the Old Fashioned and Manhattan just to name a few.Music is either classical, Jazz, Big Band, perhaps musicians like Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra.

We are celebrating the Irish Coffee. This is a hot, creamy classic cocktail that has long been a favorite in restaurants pubs with a popularity that may rival a great Irish stout. The Irish Coffee (sometimes referred to as the Gaelic coffee) may not be the first coffee drink with alcohol, however, this cocktail has become one of the most famous. It combines rich black coffee with Irish whiskey, brown sugar and lightly whipped cream. Irish coffee has a long, storied history. It's one that's as charming as it is practical — much like the Irish chef who invented it.

Take the FRIED RICE CHALLENGE. Make your favorite fried rice, take a picture, write up a description and post on your Instagram. Tag us @feeding.the.soul365 We will declare a single winner for a $25.00 Amazon gift card. Deadline to post is Friday, January 29th 2021 by 11:59pm.

This week's episode is all about Fried Rice! We will discuss the importance of rice as one of the most important culinary ingredients around the world; the origins of fried rice, and also its interpretations and its variations. The core ingredient of fried rice is obvious to most—rice! Rice is a symbol of cultural identity and global unity. It shapes religious observances, celebrations and everyday meals. Legend has it that fried rice was first developed in the Sui Dynasty and as such, all fried rice can trace its origin to China. Because of Chinese influence throughout many parts of Asia, you are going to have so many different countries that now have their own version of fried rice, like Malaysia, Japan, Korea, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam, and even…America! 

On this week's episode, we explore more broadly the meaning of food and drink and how they have shaped and inspired each of us throughout our lives. We also discuss why we have started this podcast and illuminate our vision and intention. Food and drink are much more than providing the obvious forms of sustenance; they can also provide a deeper, more spiritual meaning; a source of comfort and connection with family, friends or those around us. Both of us are passionate about food and drink, so much that we both have maintained long careers in the food and beverage industry. We wanted to take a moment and provide a brief background about what initially inspired us to immerse ourselves in this career.Food is one of the world's most universal forms of communication. It is usually what people think about throughout their day, but we all connect different meaning and associations about food and drink from one another. Our culture, age, socio-economic status and our location on the Earth really do play a part in the meaning on how one views food and drink in their life.Food and drink culture (by definition) refers to the practices, attitudes, and beliefs as well as the networks and institutions surrounding the production, distribution, and consumption of them. Every single culture and religion uses food and drink as part of their rituals, ceremonies and celebrations. Food celebration (China's mid-autumn festival and moon cake) or (Jewish religious holidays like Passover). Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well throughout most of the worldIt helps define us as people and the connection to the cultures we belong. Such preferences are personal and culturally meaningful. Our comfort foods can begin to illuminate who we are, where we originate from, and what happened to us along the way. As co-hosts, we strive to engage in a stimulating and intimate dialogue with each topic and with each other. Each episode brings forth passionate people and topics from around the world to talk about the connection of what food and drink means to them and how they have shaped and influenced their lives. Some guest will be professional cooks and chef educators, while others will be home cooks and food enthusiasts

The introduction to our podcast. We explore the culture and cultural differences associated with food and drink. Food and drink feeds the soul and they serve as the single greatest unifiers across cultures that work to bridge the differences among each of us. We believe that “feeding the body is how we survive, but feeding our soul allows us to thrive”.  So, what feeds your soul?