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Saffron - the world's most expensive spice - is treasured for its rich aroma, vibrant colour, and unique flavour. But why does it command such a high price?In this episode of The Food Chain, Ruth Alexander uncovers the story of saffron from crocus flower to kitchen, finds out about the labour-intensive harvesting process, and learns about the innovations in lab-grown saffron that could change the industry forever.Iranian chef and author Najmieh Batmanglij shares saffron's culinary and cultural significance. Saffron trader Mehrdad Rowhani offers insight into the complex global market and the problem of fraud, and agricultural scientist Dr Ardalan Ghilavizadeh tells us about why more countries are investing in lab-grown saffron, taking the harvest from traditional fields and into indoor units.To get in touch with the show, please email: thefoodchain@bbc.co.ukProducer: Izzy Greenfield
Pizza toppings are going way beyond the usual these days. Pat and Bret discussed that trend, leading off with all the appetizer-inspired pizzas we've seen lately. Jalapeño poppers, a nostalgic bar food, are back as pizza toppers at &pizza and Your Pie, plus Your Pie has another LTO pizza topped with spinach-artichoke dip. Bret came across Chicken Tikka Pizzas at several Indian concepts in California during a recent trip. And this week, Via 313, a Detroit-style pizza chain, introduced tikka masala pizza, which has masala curry sauce, marinated chicken, cheese, onions and peppers. Aside from pizza, beef, especially steak, is showing up in limited-time offers—and it usually performs very well. Noodles & Company brought back its Steak Stroganoff, a comforting dish with marinated steak in a mushroom sherry cream sauce served over egg noodles. It's been the fast casual's top selling LTO, and winter is a logical time to bring it back. Dig also introduced steak recently, a char-grilled sirloin featured in dinner plates and bowls. To wrap up, we shared an interview with Chris Morgan, who along with his partners Reza Farahani and Iranian cookbook author Najmieh Batmanglij, operate Persian restaurant Joon in the Washington, D.C. metro area. Chef Morgan talks about how many popular Middle Eastern dishes trace their origins to Iran, and Joon's menu includes specialties from other cuisines, including Levantine. The menu also reflects his experience working in California restaurants and is inspired by the ingredients Joon sources from an organic farm in Maryland. Give a listen.
So much to chew on in this episode of Industry Night. First! I've been eating: The people of DC love to brunch. LOVE IT and the people at the Gaylord are here to feed that beast! In the newly renovated and relaunched Old Hickory, they are now doing a baller brunch, 3- courses — to me it is a little bit too much — but based on the reactions of the other diners I was in the minority. The first course is served on a massive board with hot out of the oven pastries, granola and yogurt, a selection of local cheeses, big berries and sliced fruit oh and baked oysters. That's to start. Then we got a pancake board for the table - 10 massive pancakes with little pots of Nutella, whipped cream, chocolate sauce, butter, jam and hot maple syrup. There was a steak & egg sandwich and the last course, a tiered tray of composed pastries and cookies. Like I said way too much but brunch lovers that is for you Got a little wellness into my busy schedule thanks to the good people at Balian Springs and DC Magazine. David and I felt like we had arrived at an Indonesian oasis and took full advantage of all the Balian Springs offerings: Sunning on the rooftop Lounging in the outdoor pool (while being massaged with waterjets) Sitting in the healing hydrotherapy poolsPopping into several of the detoxifying saunas We meditated and rung out the evening with a ritual sound bath An evening of self-care was a magical way to start the week. Got to sit with one of my favorite women in the restaurant biz — Lydia Chang — the business side and daughter of famous chef Peter Chang. She took me on a tasting tour of all the menu changes and the recently opened downtown spot. The perfect Pekin Duck ( I am there for the pancakes), the crispy rice stew, the bulbous scallion pancake — maybe I should take a breather from all the pancakes The space is so light, bright and modern — love having time with Lydia but honestly love the cuisine and the experience. And one quick last one … tis the season for Ice Cream! The Charmery is a well loved ice cream destination in Baltimore and now there is one is Chevy Chase. Basically in my backyard — the ice cream is so smooth and creamy. And I love the flavors — my current favorite is the Ice Cream Sandwich — it's like they took all these ice cream sandwiches and whipped them together. So so delish. Um, okay I'll stop there let's get on to today's show I am so honored to have today's guests joining me. She needs no introduction but I am going to give it to her anyway! Najmieh Batmanglij has spent the past 40 years cooking, traveling, and adapting authentic Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. The Washington Post calls her “the guru of Persian cuisine” having written more than 8 books including, Food of Life, Silk Road Cooking, From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table and Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes and Kitchen Secrets. The NYTimes names her one of seven immigrant women who changed the way Americans eat and most recently she has partnered with Michelin starred chef Chris Morgan to open up Joon, a Persian Restaurant here in the DC Area. Let's dig in with Chefs Najmieh & Chris! Quotes Cooking has its own language, and understanding these terms is essential.”— Najmieh Batmanglij "Bringing new flavors to both Persian diners and newcomers adds a unique excitement to the experience." — Chris Morgan Guests Social Media Links: Najmieh Batmanglij & Chris Morgan Personal : https://www.instagram.com/najmieh/ Business : https://www.instagram.com/eat.joon/?ref=sloperecords Featuring Nycci Nellis https://www.instagram.com/nyccinellis/ https://www.thelistareyouonit.com/ Chapters 00:06 - Introduction 07:31 - Culinary Dreams: Education, Travel, and Triumphs 10:27 - French Influence: Flavor Fusion and Culinary Artistry 18:09 - Resilience and Unforgettable Bonds 19:06 - Fig Jams and Family Rituals: The Culinary Journey 23:32 - Global Culinary Ventures: Dubai to Bahrain 27:10 - Preserving Traditions in Restaurant Challenges 30:27 - June's Delight: Exploring Sour and Sweet Fruits 35:31 - Savoring the Unique: Whole Duck Delight with Sour Cherry Rice 38:14 - Mix-and-Match Magic: Diverse Dining Experiences 42:09 - Embarking on Adventures: Travel, Cooking, and Lifelong Memories 44:47 - Grapes, Rice Wine, and Poetry: A Persian Perspective 48:39 - Conclusion Produced by Heartcast Media http://www.heartcastmedia.com
There are almost as many ice cream origin stories as there are flavours, but where did the frozen treat really come from, and who invented it? Rajan Datar explores the dessert's murky history, from the harvesting and flavouring of snow in China and the Middle East thousands of years ago, to the experimental kitchens of the European aristocracy. Ice cream's evolution has, of course, closely followed that of refrigeration – we learn why salt was crucial for keeping early versions cold, and hear about the daring entrepreneur who began the global ice trade. Plus, who really invented the ice cream cone? Producer: Simon Tulett Contributors: Robin Weir, author of ‘Ice Creams, Sorbets and Gelati: The Definitive Guide'; Najmieh Batmanglij, Iranian-American chef and cookbook author; Dr Melissa Calaresu, Cambridge University. (Picture: A woman licking an ice cream. Credit: Getty images) To find out how to make ice cream yourself visit www.bbc.co.uk/food/ice_cream
Classic of Difficulties: Difficult Questions in Medicine, Acupuncture, and Beyond
We all want to be the best at what we do. But how do we get there? We look at some of the best to learn their secrets.Chinese medicine and Chinese martial arts—like shaolin kung fu, ba gua zhang, xing yi chuan—are all known for their sages and their masters. Many of us dream of being able to study with someone who is truly a master. Unfortunately, traditional apprenticeship has been on the decline during the 20th and 21st centuries. What can we learn by looking at great masters in music, medicine, cuisine, and more? How can we understand more about ourselves, our trades, and our arts by looking at them?Like what you're hearing?
Classic of Difficulties: Difficult Questions in Medicine, Acupuncture, and Beyond
There's more to food than just calories and macros. Figure out how to pick the best diet for you, and how to get ahead of the next big thing.There are a lot of factors that go into understanding the perfect diet! From social to geographical, economic to cultural, join Dr. James Mohebali as he explores some of these considerations, and helps you understand how to sift through all the contradictory information that's out there about diet. On the way, we take a look at why Italians love tomatoes, how to deal with damp, muggy climates, and whether or not Mexicans are immune to hot chili peppers. Using Feng Shui, terroir, and cultural archeology, we look at some popular diets, like the ketogenic diet, and try to understand what role they can play in healing our chronic diseases and proactively maintaining our health.Like what you're hearing?
Trade is innately human. Whether it’s baseball cards, lunchbox items or recipes, people have been exchanging goods, services, practices, and ideas since prehistoric times. Driven by curiosity and power, or most commonly money, trade has created the modern, globalized world we know today. To better understand the past, present, and future of trade’s huge web of interconnectivity, we’re traveling back in time with Meat and Three’s first ever 4-part mini-series. We first look at history's most significant trade route: The Silk Road. We explore how the expansive caravan and maritime routes marked the first period of vast global interchange with Najmieh Batmanglij. We then dig into economics with Don Boudreaux to explain the implications of free trade and some central characteristics of our current globalized model. And don’t forget to stick around for the next three episodes as we take a deeper dive into the ingredients that make these routes so delicious. Subscribe to Meat and Three on your favorite podcast app.Further Reading:Get your own copy of “Silk Road Cooking: A Vegetarian Journey” by Najmieh Batmanglij hereKeep Meat and Three on the air: become an HRN Member today! Go to heritageradionetwork.org/donate. Meat and Three is powered by Simplecast.
Hannah and Michael shelter in place! We have a dramatic reading from friend of the pod Danielle Steel, a brief stop at W.H Auden’s messy apartment and finally lots & lots of book talk--what (and how!) we’re reading in these troubled times. ICONIC Danielle Steel interview in the NY Post. Auden was a slob. Smitten Kitchen will save us all. Thrift Books. Sponsor us! Books mentioned: Alison Roman, Nothing Fancy; Najmieh Batmanglij, New Food of Life; Ken Forkish, Flour Water Salt Yeast; Liu Cixin, The Three Body Problem; Kevin Wilson, Nothing to See Here; E.M. Forster, Howard’s End; Wilkie Collins, The Woman in White; Michael Ondaatje, The English Patient; Joe Hill, N0s4a2; Paul Tremblay, A Head Full of Ghosts; Henry James, Washington Square; Harriet Beecher Stowe, Uncle Tom’s Cabin; Marcel Proust, Swann’s Way; Charlotte Bronte, Jane Eyre; Hilary Mantel, The Mirror and the Light; Scarlett Thomas, Oligarchy & The Seed Collectors.
Najmieh Batmanglij is "the grande dame of Iranian Cooking”. She’s spent the past 35 years cooking, traveling throughout Iran, and adapting traditional Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. Her book Food of Life was dubbed “the definitive book on Iranian cooking” by the Los Angeles Times, and we couldn’t agree more. From her advice to dance while cooking (her favorite tunes are created or produced by her son Rostam Batmanglij, formerly of Vampire Weekend) and connect with others through food, Najmieh makes us feel right at home in her world of beautiful ingredients and delightful flavors rooted in Persian culinary culture.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today’s show; • Less than 4% of the federal government’s funding for cancer research is goes toward pediatric cancer research at the Children’s National Health System. Chance for Life’s Brad and Callie Nierenberg are in to tell us about the organization’s many good works and about some upcoming events. • Born in Iran, Najmieh Batmanglij has spent 35 years cooking, traveling, and adapting authentic Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. Hailed as “the guru of Persian cuisine” by The Washington Post, her cookbook “Food of Life” was called “the definitive book on Iranian cooking” by the Los Angeles Times. Her “Silk Road Cooking” was selected as one of the 10 best vegetarian cookbooks of 2004 by The New York Times; and her book “From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table” won the Gourmand Cookbook Award for the best wine history book of 2007. Her newest cookbook is “Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes & Kitchen Secrets.” It’s out now, and it is a masterpiece. Najmieh is in to tell us all about it. • Whenever you’re craving a taste of good health, Flower Child complies, with farm-fresh grains, greens and wraps, along with refreshing flavored lemonades, kombucha, organic wines and beer. Flower Child’s Jessica Mulroy and Monica Copeland give us the 411. • Noe Landini is the owner of Junction Bakery & Bistro. Opened in 2016 in Del Ray, Junction creates breads, pastries and specialty desserts in-house daily, along with breakfast, lunch, brunch and now dinner. Noe is in with Chef James Duke to tell us all about it. • Any regular listener knows we always have a drink segment. And, if we’re gonna have something to drink, it’s gotta be good. That’s why the City Winery’s beverage director, Sam Miller, is in today with a tasty sampling of great wines, produced right here in D.C.
Hosted by David and Nycci Nellis. On today's show; • Less than 4% of the federal government's funding for cancer research is goes toward pediatric cancer research at the Children's National Health System. Chance for Life's Brad and Callie Nierenberg are in to tell us about the organization's many good works and about some upcoming events. • Born in Iran, Najmieh Batmanglij has spent 35 years cooking, traveling, and adapting authentic Persian recipes to tastes and techniques in the West. Hailed as “the guru of Persian cuisine” by The Washington Post, her cookbook “Food of Life” was called “the definitive book on Iranian cooking” by the Los Angeles Times. Her “Silk Road Cooking” was selected as one of the 10 best vegetarian cookbooks of 2004 by The New York Times; and her book “From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table” won the Gourmand Cookbook Award for the best wine history book of 2007. Her newest cookbook is “Cooking in Iran: Regional Recipes & Kitchen Secrets.” It's out now, and it is a masterpiece. Najmieh is in to tell us all about it. • Whenever you're craving a taste of good health, Flower Child complies, with farm-fresh grains, greens and wraps, along with refreshing flavored lemonades, kombucha, organic wines and beer. Flower Child's Jessica Mulroy and Monica Copeland give us the 411. • Noe Landini is the owner of Junction Bakery & Bistro. Opened in 2016 in Del Ray, Junction creates breads, pastries and specialty desserts in-house daily, along with breakfast, lunch, brunch and now dinner. Noe is in with Chef James Duke to tell us all about it. • Any regular listener knows we always have a drink segment. And, if we're gonna have something to drink, it's gotta be good. That's why the City Winery's beverage director, Sam Miller, is in today with a tasty sampling of great wines, produced right here in D.C.
Sep. 5, 2015. Najmieh Batmanglij discusses "Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies" at the 2015 Library of Congress National Book Festival in Washington, D.C. Speaker Biography: Dubbed as “the guru of Persian cuisine” by The Washington Post, Najmieh Batmanglij has dedicated her life to Persian and Iranian cuisine and has spent the past 35 years adapting authentic traditional recipes to Western tastes and techniques. She has written several cookbooks, including “From Persia to Napa: Wine at the Persian Table,” which in 2007 received the Gourmand Cookbook Award for the world’s best wine history. Her newest cookbook is a special 25th anniversary edition of “Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies, which has been completely redesigned for today’s generation of cooks and food fanatics. Batmanglij lives in the District of Columbia, where she teaches Persian and Silk Road cooking, and consults with restaurants around the world. For transcript, captions, and more information, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=6963
The vernal equinox is upon us and with it brings the start of spring! It is also the beginning of the ancient Persian New Year celebration of Nowruz, and on this week’s A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is talking to the “guru of Persian cuisine,” cookbook author, and culinary educator Najmieh Batmanglij all about the history and food traditions of the holiday. Having just baked a batch of baklava, Najmieh goes on to share the meaning behind certain dishes and that are vital to a proper celebration. After the break, Linda and Najmieh delve into the essential ingredients to Persian cuisine and how many date back thousands of years. Rounding out the show, it is discussed that Nowruz is not a secular holiday, rather a celebration of the Earth for everyone to enjoy. Tune in for a wonderful show! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. Photos and recipe from Food of Life: Ancient Persian and Modern Iranian Cooking and Ceremonies by Najmieh Batmanglij © 1986, 2015, courtesy of Mage Publishers, www.mage.com “In Iran, food is an essential part of every ceremony.” “Noodles represent the path of life and by eating them you unravel the difficulties of your life… you must eat noodles!” “In Iranian, feasting your eyes is as important as your tastebuds.” —Najmieh Batmanglij on A Taste of the Past