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Welcome to Season 4 of the As We Eat podcast, where we'll be delving into the intersection of Food & Crime, unearthing fascinating stories from history. Today, we journey back to 19th century Paris, France, to uncover the enigmatic tale of Marie Lafarge, a young woman whose life took a dark turn amidst the backdrop of privilege and deception. In this episode, we explore Marie Lafarge's journey from a background of aristocratic privilege to a scandalous trial for the alleged poisoning of her husband, Charles Lafarge. We uncover the twists and turns of this captivating saga, shedding light on the complexities of justice and forensic science in the 1800s. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

This season we will be focusing on the intersection of Food & Crime. Come along with us as we investigate poisonings, discover adulterated food-stuffs, and infiltrate organized food crime circles. It should prove to be a decadently deadly, fraught with fraud, culinarily criminal journey! Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

We’re wrapping Season 3 with some of our favorite things. Though it is always hard to pick a favorite episode - it’s like being asked to choose a favorite child, or cat - we each share a cookbook that has won an award from being the funniest read, to providing the newest perspective. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Can you believe that it’s time for our Annual Pie Episode. Neither can we. But we’re super excited to have had the opportunity to talk with Kate McDermott, author of Art of the Pie and as Kim calls her, Head Baker at Pie Cottage. Join us as Kate answers some listener questions and shares the experience of writing a cookbook. We started this season with a cookbook by Edna Lewis who recounted stories of her life and rich food traditions in Freetown, Virginia and we are ending with a cookbook that won a place in the heart of the publisher because of the stories Kate McDermott told on her first visit to their offices.  When we conceived of the idea to highlight some of our favorite cookbooks and the roles that they play in our understanding and expression of community, identity, and personal and communal foodways, I don’t think that either of us anticipated what an educational, informative, and fantastic journey it would bring to both us of.  We are very excited and honored that you decided to join us on this journey. For our final stop, we had the great fortune of having a conversation with an author who personifies baking from the heart. Kate McDermott is author of Art of the Pie, Home Cooking with Kate McDermott, and Pie Camp. But more than that, she is a dear friend, an extraordinary educator, and a fierce champion of being, doing, and living with intention. Books We Think You’ll  Enjoy ReadingArt of the Pie by Kate McDermott Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon.com Apples of Uncommon Character by Rowan Jacobsen Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon.com Pie Camp by Kate McDermott Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon.com Home Cooking by Kate McDermott Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon.com The Apple Lover's Cookbook by Amy Traverso Purchase: Bookshop.org OR Amazon.com Transcript🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 We would love to connect with youFollow us on Instagram @asweeat,Join our Family Recipes, Traditions, and Food Lore community on FacebookSubscribe to the As We Eat JournalListen to the As We Eat PodcastDo you have a great idea 💡 for a show topic, a recipe 🥘 that you want to share, or just say “hi”👋🏻? Send us an email at [email protected] Review As We Eat on Podchaser or Apple Podcast. We would like to know what you think. As a member of affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps us to continue to bring you stories, history, and personal musings about food, cuisines, traditions, and recipes Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Join us on a journey of unexpected joy found right in Kim’s pantry, all thanks to the timeless culinary companion, "The Joy of Cooking" by Irma Rombauer. In today's episode, Leigh and Kim dive into the story of finding the inspiration to transform some stale tortilla chips and a forgotten can of green chiles into a delicious Tex Mex dish, and why Joy has earned its place as a culinary classic. Feeling a bit discouraged by a half-bare pantry after a long week, Kim turned to "The Joy of Cooking" in hopes of finding some cooking inspiration within its 6,000 recipes - after all, its original cover artwork depicts St. Barbara, the purported Patron Saint of Cooking, deftly defying the Dragon of Cooking Drudgery. Surely the Rombauer clan could help summon some kitchen inspiration. While thumbing through the extensive section on Egg cookery, Kim stumbled upon the perfect solution for several odd, leftover ingredients - Tex Mex Migas. Utilizing some stale tortilla chips, some eggs and cheese, a leftover can of green chiles, and some fresh chorizo - we had a tasty breakfast that, while perhaps not an original Joy recipe, made sensible use of ingredients, saved food from becoming waste, and became a joyful culinary experience.  Tracing the history of "Joy of Cooking" from its 1931 origin as Irma Rombauer's financial endeavor, we reflect on a poignant excerpt from Irma's preface before delving into the  drama surrounding the 1997 edition's revisions, with an irascible book editor shifting Joy’s warm, collegial tone into newer (and trendier) health-conscious territory. We wrap our episode debating whether a cookbook like "Joy" should be seen as a historical artifact or a practical kitchen tool. Drawing parallels with struggles in adapting recipes from older cookbooks, such as "The Women’s Suffrage Cookbook" and "The Settlement Cookbook," we ponder the role of a cookbook in reflecting its time versus being a timeless guide for preparing and serving food. FOOTNOTE: Kim did make the Pimento-Cheese Bread, and while she struggled with some of the chemistry of baking, the loaf was delivered and served to her colleagues. One said, “oh, I thought it was store-bought!” which had her wondering whether that was a compliment or whether she needed more practice. Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode A Heaping Cupful of Conflict - Los Angeles Times Does the World Need Another ‘Joy’? Do You? - The New York Times Episodes that we RecommendEpisode 20: Grain Empires: The Wheat Belt, American Innovation, and A Kitchen Confidante Episode 35: What’s in Your Pantry? Food Label Dates and Major Grey’s Chutney Episode 55: Refinding Home: Edna Lewis, The Taste of Country Cooking, and Me Episode 56: Beef A Là Mode: A recipe to bring you home Episode 59: Bon Appétit! How Julia Child Made America Fall in Love with French Food Episode 60: Coq au Whatever: Mastering an Iconic French Provincial Dish Episode 61: How to Cook and Eat in Chinese: Dishing up Culture Episode 62: Unveiling the Rich Tapestry of Chinese Cuisine with Red and White Cooking Recipes You Really Need to TryMigas With Scrambled Eggs, Tortilla Chips, & Chiles - Serious Eats Transcript🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

While we take a holiday break, we wanted to share a past episode that we hope will inspire your pie making endeavors for the Thanksgiving holiday. We return to the origins of pie specialties as Leigh surveys the ingenuity of pie bakers and cooks who built empires on fairly basic pie recipes originating in Western Europe. Next, Kim speaks on how the thrifty utilization of excess egg white plus a fictional culinary character led to one of the most favorite pies in American history - lemon meringue - and how a massive hurricane shifted Florida’s production of pineapple to its globally-known key lime, inspiration for the key lime meringue pie. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Some of the books on our cookbook shelves wander in because they are or were all the rage, some are there because we’re interested in a particular cuisine. But some of there as part of our legacy of cooking and have become iconic. Join us as we discuss one of America’s iconic cookbooks. A cookbook that’s in its ninth edition and spans over nine decades of guiding home cooks from the oven to the table. Transcript 🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

In this episode, we dive into the world of Dwarven cuisine with the 'Smoked Sausages and Kraut with Dwarven Mustard' recipe from 'Heroes' Feast.' Discover how this hearty dish comes to life, and follow our culinary journey bridging the gap between imagination and reality. Join us in celebrating the magic of food and the connections it weaves in our lives. Transcript 🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Cookbooks take many approaches to inspiring readers to try new foods or to revisit familiar ones as a way to find common ground, especially amongst people with a shared fandom. In this episode, Kim and Leigh discuss “Heroes’ Feast,” the official cookbook for the popular Dungeons & Dragons game as an example of how fandom-based cookbooks blend food and immersive storytelling to unite communities and strengthen family bonds. Transcript🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

It would be ridiculous to suggest that one dish can represent all the mystery and majesty of human civilization, but inspiration can be a powerful force. In this episode, a single dish from the 1903 edition of The Settlement Cookbook sparked a deep conversation about the transformative power of food and its role in shaping civilizations, from the bustling immigrant communities of the late 19th century to modern-day. Exploring the Foundation of CivilizationInspired by her experience cooking up “Steak in Casserole” from the 1903 edition of The Settlement Cookbook, Kim finds a whole recipe as a lens through which to examine the foundations of civilizations.  We begin with a snapshot of early 20th-century America, marked by post-Civil War reconstruction, industrialization, and a wave of immigration that transformed cities into diverse, bustling hubs. To address the challenges of rapid urbanization, a progressive movement centered on settlement houses aims to help immigrants navigate life in their new world. These houses not only provided better living conditions but also nurtured a sense of community by sharing knowledge, culture, and domestic skills. Food and IdentityThe Settlement Cookbook, also known as "The Way to a Man's Heart," was originally published in 1901 from the Settlement House in Milwaukee. Organized as a series of lessons in cooking, nutrition, and food service, the cookbook aimed to modernize traditional Jewish recipes with American ingredients and techniques, promoting assimilation without forsaking cultural heritage. Kim takes a novel approach to recipe selection by asking her partner to pick out a dish they wanted to eat. Confronted with a recipe and a dish with which she is largely unfamiliar, she realizes that food is not just sustenance; by selecting, cooking, and sharing food, we form both an individual and collective concept of who we are. The Cultural Significance of Cooking and DiningFrom here we reflect on the idea that food and its preparation are deeply cultural, and that the act of cooking and the rituals surrounding meals are essential components of civilization, and that by embracing the culture of the host country while preserving one's own traditions contributes to the evolution of a dynamic society. Episode Transcript🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧  Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

From a culinary guide with the goal of assimilation to a symbol of cultural recognition, we’ll dive into a cookbook that bridged cultures and funded social programs. This cookbook taught immigrant women to cook American dishes and became a cultural talisman passed down generations. It’s a story that showcases how one cookbook became a powerful tool for integration and resilience. The changing of the seasons sets the stage for our discussion of the third wave of immigration in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. As a massive wave of European immigrants hit the shores of the United States, personal, economic and social challenges crashed into established communities. We focus on one Mid-Western community, a social service agency, and a cookbook that was much, much more than a collection of recipes. Listen in as we discuss share the history, the impact, and our thoughts on Mrs. Simon Kandor’s The Settlement Cook Book, the way to a man’s heart. Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode The Settlement Cookbook: 116 Years and 40 Editions LaterThis 20th Century Jewish Immigrant Cookbook Inspired the Ultimate Dinner Party, Hey Alma Taste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America, by Mayukh Sen Books We Think You’ll Enjoy ReadingTaste Makers: Seven Immigrant Women Who Revolutionized Food in America, by Mayukh Sen The Settlement Cookbook, by Mrs. Simon Kander Transcript🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 We would love to connect with youAsWeEat.com, on Instagram @asweeat, join our new As We Eat community on Facebook, or subscribe to the As We Eat Journal. Do you have a great idea 💡 for a show topic, a recipe 🥘 that you want to share, or just say “hi”👋🏻?  Send us an email at [email protected] Review As We Eat on Podchaser or Apple Podcast. We would like to know what you think. As a member of affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps us to continue to bring you stories, history, and personal musings about food, cuisines, traditions, and recipes Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/as-we-eat8938/donations

Food uniquely bridges our history and culture, bearing stories of resilience, connection, and sustenance across generations. Today, we dive into the flavors and heritage of The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen through a recipe that spotlights three indigenous ingredients woven into a rich tapestry of ancestral foodways. Hey there, it's Leigh, and I'm excited to dive into a really remarkable culinary journey with you. You know, food is so much more than sustenance; it's a vessel for stories, culture, and history. Today, my amazing co-host, Kim Baker, and I are exploring the recipe that I chose to create from "The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen" cookbook. This recipe isn't just about cooking; it's about embracing the flavors and heritage of three indigenous ingredients, and we're about to share how it deeply touched us. Rediscovering Indigenous Foods: As I flipped through the pages of "The Sioux Chef's Indigenous Kitchen," one recipe leaped out—the Three Sisters Mash. It struck a chord because I'd learned about companion planting in school, and these sisters were familiar to me. This led me to ponder the remarkable awareness of Native Americans who recognized this planting synergy centuries ago. It's almost like they knew the secrets of nature's harmony. The Three Sisters: A Sacred StoryThe Three Sisters, corn, squash, and beans, which work together symbiotically in the garden to support and protect each other. This story serves as a beautiful parable, emphasizing the power of collaboration and the creation of something greater than ourselves. Chef Sean Sherman's Three Sisters Mash brings this ancient planting wisdom to life. This isn't just gardening; it's a dance of support and collaboration that echoes through the ages. The Journey of One BeanI stumbled on the unique story of one of the sisters while in Arizona, the tepary bean.These beans were vital to the Tohono O'odham culture, but their story remained a mystery to me. Curiosity got the best of me, and I dug deeper, uncovering a tale of resilience, loss, and reclamation. The Power of IntentionalityAlright, let's get cooking! Armed with intention, I embarked on the Three Sisters Mash recipe. Harvesting cedar for braising and selecting ingredients thoughtfully, I crafted a dish that felt like a tribute. The textures, flavors, and the surprising combination of sage and mint created a delicious dish that truly pays homage to indigenous food traditions. Kim's Insights on Authenticity Enter Kim, my co-host, and a discussion on authenticity unfolds. We muse about the blurred lines between authenticity and intentionality. How do we respect traditions while embracing modern adaptations? Embracing Indigenous Foodways Our conversation takes us deeper into the movement of reclaiming indigenous foodways. We uncover businesses like Indigenous Eats and All All Cafe, champions of preserving indigenous cuisines. It's a reminder that curiosity unveils treasures beyond our imaginations. Sources We Found Helpful for this Episode Tastemakers, Ramona FarmsIndigenous Eats, Spokane, Washingtonalalcafe, Seattle, WashingtonOff the Rez, Seattle WashingtonBooks We Think You’ll Enjoy ReadingThe Sioux Chef’s Indigenous Kitchen, Sean Sherman & Beth DooleyRecipes You Really Need to TryCranberry WojapeOwamni Sweet Potatoes with Maple-Chile CrispTranscript🎧 Click here for the full, interactive transcript of this episode 🎧 We would love to connect with youAsWeEat.com, on Instagram @asweeat, join our new As We Eat community on Facebook, or subscribe to the As We Eat Journal. Do you have a great idea 💡 for a show topic, a recipe 🥘 that you want to share, or just say “hi”👋🏻? Send us an email at [email protected] Review As We Eat on Podchaser or Apple Podcast. We would like to know what you think. As a member of affiliate programs, we earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you. This helps us to continue to bring you stories, history, and person