Midday on WNYC

Diana Henry discusses her book, How to Eat a Peach: Menus, Stories and Places. Henry offers menus that are introduced with personal essays about places and journeys that explain her choice of dishes. On June 23 Diana Henry will be signing copies of her book at the Union Square Market Food Book Fair tent at 10 am.  This segment is guest hosted by Melissa Clark.  Roast tomatoes, fennel & chickpeas with preserved lemons & honey It might seem a hassle to roast the fennel and tomatoes separately, but it does make things easier when you come to assemble this, as each element stays intact and keeps its shape. You can use flat-leaf parsley or mint leaves instead of cilantro in the dressing, or extend the dish by adding salad greens (arugula, watercress, or baby spinach) if you like, though then you’ll need to make a bit more dressing. You can make all the elements ahead of time. Serve with saffron couscous—it’s a great contrast in both color and texture—or flatbread. Serves: 6  For the tomatoes: 10 large plum tomatoes 3 tablespoons regular olive oil 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 1½ tablespoons harissa 2 teaspoons superfine sugar sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper for the fennel 2 large fennel bulbs juice of ½ lemon 2 garlic cloves, crushed ½ teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in a mortar generous pinch of crushed red pepper 2½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 15oz can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed For the dressing: 2 small preserved lemons, plus 2 teaspoons juice from the jar 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1½ tablespoons liquid honey ¹⁄³ cup extra virgin olive oil ¼ cup chopped cilantro 1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. 2. Halve the tomatoes lengthwise and lay in a single layer in a roasting pan or ovenproof dish. Mix the regular olive oil, balsamic vinegar, and harissa and pour this over the tomatoes, tossing to coat well, then turn the tomatoes cut-side up. Sprinkle with the sugar and season. 3. Quarter the fennel bulbs, cut off the stalks, and remove any coarse outer leaves. Pull off any tender fronds (reserve these) and cut each piece of fennel into 1-inch thick wedges, keeping them intact at the base. Toss in a bowl with the lemon juice (it stops them from discoloring). Add the garlic, fennel seeds, chile, and extra virgin olive oil, then season and turn everything over with your hands. Spread out the fennel in a second roasting pan and cover tightly with foil. 4. Put both pans in the oven. Roast the fennel for 25 to 30 minutes, until tender (the undersides should be pale gold), then remove the foil and roast for another 5 to 10 minutes, or until soft, golden, and slightly charred. Roast the tomatoes for 35 to 40 minutes, or until caramelized in patches and slightly shrunken. Stir the chickpeas into the fennel and taste for seasoning. Let both cool to room temperature. 5. Now make the dressing. Discard the flesh from the preserved lemons and cut the rind into dice. Whisk the wine vinegar with the preserved lemon juice, honey, and extra virgin olive oil, season, and add the lemon rind and cilantro. Taste for seasoning and sweet-sour balance. 6. Arrange the fennel, chickpeas, and tomatoes on a platter, adding all the juices from the roasting pans; there might be quite a lot from the tomatoes. Scatter any fennel fronds you reserved over the top. Spoon on the dressing, or serve it on the side. Asparagus, peas & radishes with pistachio pesto The pesto here is rich, so you need the radishes to provide a clean contrast. Serves: 6 For the pesto: 1 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, divided 8 scallions, trimmed and chopped 1 tablespoon unsalted butter 1 fat garlic clove, crushed ¾ cup extra virgin olive oil 4½oz fresh ricotta ½ cup finely grated pecorino or Parmesan cheese sea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepperFor the vegetables: 8 to 10 radishes, preferably French breakfast radishes 1½lb asparagus 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 2½ teaspoons white balsamic vinegar 7oz fresh raw peas small handful of pea shoots, cress, or microgreens  1. Start with the pesto. Boil two-thirds of the pistachios in water for 4 minutes; this softens them and makes the pesto creamy. Drain and dry them in a dish cloth. You need to rub off all the papery skin (laborious but therapeutic). Lightly toast the rest of the nuts in a dry skillet for about 30 seconds. You will be able to smell the toasted aroma. Immediately transfer to a plate. Cook the scallions in the butter in a small saucepan until soft, but not colored. Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds or so. 2. Blitz all the nuts with the scallions and garlic in a food processor, gradually adding the extra virgin olive oil. Stir in the ricotta and pecorino or Parmesan. Season and taste.Now for the vegetables. Shave the radishes using a mandoline slicer, or cut them very finely with a sharp knife. 3. Break or cut off the base of each asparagus spear (if you use your hands instead of a knife, you can feel where the natural break is). Bring a pan with about 3 inches of water to a boil. Stand the asparagus in this, bases in the water, spears leaning against the side (they cook in the steam). Cover with a lid. Cook until only just tender, testing with a point of a knife. How long it takes depends on the thickness of the asparagus. If it’s of average thickness, I reckon on 7 minutes, but I usually start checking after 4. 4. Lift the asparagus out of the pan, then quickly remove excess moisture by patting it with a clean dish cloth. Add a little of the asparagus cooking water to the pesto to loosen and thin it. 5. Mix the extra virgin olive oil and the white balsamic vinegar together and season. Divide the asparagus, raw peas, radishes, and pea shoots among 6 plates—or put them all on a platter—and drizzle with the white balsamic dressing. Spoon on some of the pesto and offer the rest at the table.            

Journalist Kevin Begos discusses Tasting the Past: The Science of Flavor and the Search for the Origins of Wine. Begos embarked on a ten-year journey seeking the origins of wine. Starting in the Caucasus Mountains, where wine grapes were first domesticated eight thousand years ago, then venturing to Israel and across the Mediterranean to Greece, Italy, and France, and finally to America. On his travels he discovers a whole world of forgotten grapes as well as the archaeologists, geneticists, and chemists who are deciphering wine down to molecules of flavor. Begos offers a unique history of this ancient culinary tradition.  This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz. 

Executive wine editor at Food & Wine Magazine, Ray Isle, discusses his article, “40 Wines That Changed the Way We Drink.” He offers his unique perspective on the history of wines that have profoundly impacted drinking cultures on a global scale. This segment is guest hosted by Melissa Clark.     

For our latest Please Explain Mark Kurlansky discusses his book Milk!: A 10,000-Year Food Fracas. He traces the liquid's diverse history from antiquity to the present, he details its curious and crucial role in cultural evolution, religion, nutrition, politics, and economics. On June 28 Mark Kulansky will be speaking and signing books at the Museum of Food & Drink (62 Bayard Street Brooklyn, NY 11222) in Brooklyn at 6:30 pm.  This segment is guest hosted by Melissa Clark.     

Journalist Seymour Hersh discusses his new book, Reporter: A Memoir, in which he tells the stories behind the stories: chasing leads, cultivating sources, grappling with the weight of what he uncovers, and daring to challenge official narratives handed down from the powers that be.     This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz. 

Andrew Selee discusses his book Vanishing Frontiers: The Forces Driving Mexico and the United States Together. Selee looks at contemporary Mexico, showing how it increasingly influences our daily lives in the United States. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz. 

Kiran Ahluwalia performs songs from her new album 7 Billion. Born in India and raised in Toronto, Ahluwalia performs classic folkloric material in the ancient style of romantic song known as ghazal. Her musical choices reflect her personal history using drones, chimes and traditional drumming. Ahluwalia also collaborated with Canadian-based poets of South Asian descent.  This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.   

Jamie Bernstein discusses her book, Famous Father Girl: A Memoir of Growing Up Bernstein. The composer of On the Town and West Side Story and chief conductor of the New York Philharmonic, Leonard Bernstein was one of the most famous creators of his time. This book is an intimate meditation on a complex man, the family he raised, and the music he composed told with a level of detail that only his daughter could offer. This segment is guest hosted by Matt Katz.   

Film preservationist and entertainer Serge Bromberg discusses his traveling show Saved from the Flame, a program of rare shorts to be shown on June 20 at the Film Society of Lincoln Center. Bromberg's company Lobster Films hold one of the most important private collections of films and use digital technology to restore each work. Bromberg accompanies on piano and provides commentary for these works from the silent era. The program includes once-thought-lost films by the great Georges Méliès, including 1902’s hand-painted Robinson Crusoe and the East Coast premiere of a new reconstruction of the comedic Faust adaptation The Merry Frolics of Satan. This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino. 

Kristin Lawless discusses her book, Formerly Known As Food: How the Industrial Food System Is Changing Our Minds, Bodies, and Culture, which looks at how pesticides and GMOs are changing not only our food, but also our bodies. From deteriorating nutritional content to the addition of thousands of chemicals from pesticides, Lawless argues that our bodies are literally changing from the inside out. This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino. 

ProPublica Illinois reporter Duaa Eldeib discusses her recent article published in The Atlantic, “Hundreds of Illinois Children Languish in Psychiatric Hospitals After They’re Cleared for Release.” The Department of Children and Family Services has been struggling to find appropriate homes for young people with mental illness. As a result, children are staying in psychiatric wards beyond medical necessity, not going to school, and not being cared for by a loving adult.  The number of children in this limbo has steadily increased since 2014. This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino. 

Violet Ramis Stiel discusses her memoir Ghostbuster’s Daughter: Life with My Dad, Harold Ramis. Stiel takes us on an intimate journey into the life and mind of her father, Harold Ramis who is best known as an acclaimed writer, director, and actor who worked on comedy classics like Animal House, Caddyshack, Ghostbusters, National Lampoon's Vacation, and Groundhog Day. She offers keen insights into the man who helped shaped modern filmic comedy. On June 23 Violet Ramis Stiel will have a Reading & Signing at Bookends (211 E. Ridgewood Ave Ridgewood, NJ 07450) at 2 pm.   This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino. 

Seymour Stein discusses his memoir Siren Song: My Life in Music. Seymour Stein’s prolific career as a ground-breaking music producer is on full display in this memoir. From Tin Pan Alley to The British Invasion to CBGB and Studio 54, the book charts Stein’s journey of discovering some of the greatest music stars like Madonna, The Ramones, Talking Heads, Depeche Mode, Madonna, The Smiths, The Cure, Ice-T, Lou Reed, Seal, and many others. This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino. 

Reporter Timothy Pratt tells the stories of Dreamers in the midst of a Trump presidency and the struggles, fears, and obstacles these students have to face in the path to getting their degree in his new report from The Hechinger Report, titled "DACA students persevere, enrolling at, remaining in and graduating from college." This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino.   

Abdi Nor Iftin discusses his memoir Call Me American: A Memoir. Originally from Somalia, Iftin was a fan of U.S. culture and became known around Mogadishu as Abdi American. When the radical Islamist group al-Shabaab rose to power in 2006, Abdi used his language skills to post secret dispatches to NPR and elsewhere on the internet, finding an audience of listeners worldwide. Iftin ultimately fled to Kenya as a refugee and won entrance to the U.S. in the annual visa lottery. On June 19 at 7 pm Abdi Nor Iftin will give a talk and reading at the Soho McNally Jackson (52 Prince Street). This segment is guest hosted by Duarte Geraldino.