Midday on WNYC show

Midday on WNYC

Summary: WNYC hosts the conversation New Yorkers turn to each afternoon for insight into contemporary art, theater and literature, plus expert tips about the ever-important lunchtime topic: food. WNYC Studios is a listener-supported producer of other leading podcasts including Radiolab, Death, Sex & Money, Snap Judgment, Here’s the Thing with Alec Baldwin and many others. © WNYC Studios

Join Now to Subscribe to this Podcast

Podcasts:

 Narratives from Around the World | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:00

Billy Gerard Frank and Lydia Darly discuss creating the Nova Frontier Film Festival which takes place in Brooklyn from September 7 to 9. The festival showcases filmmakers and artists who focus on the Middle East, Latin America, and the African Diasporas. They also run a filmmaking lab that educates youth from underserved and underrepresented communities, building a new generation of media makers in Brooklyn. This year’s festival focuses on themes of immigration and identity. This segment is guest hosted by Jenna Flanagan. 

 Diana Henry's Latest Cookbook is Just Peachy | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:39

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. This is a rebroadcast of a segment that originally aired June 22, 2018. 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 tomatoes3 tablespoons regular olive oil1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar1½ tablespoons harissa2 teaspoons superfine sugarsea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepperfor the fennel2 large fennel bulbsjuice of ½ lemon2 garlic cloves, crushed½ teaspoon fennel seeds, coarsely crushed in a mortargenerous pinch of crushed red pepper2½ 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 oil¼ 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, divided8 scallions, trimmed and chopped1 tablespoon unsalted butter1 fat garlic clove, crushed¾ cup extra virgin olive oil4½oz fresh ricotta½ cup finely grated pecorino or Parmesan cheesesea salt flakes and freshly ground black pepperFor the vegetables:8 to 10 radishes, preferably French breakfast radishes1½lb asparagus3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil2½ teaspoons white balsamic vinegar7oz fresh raw peassmall 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.            

 An Odyssey into the Origins of Wine | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 16:24

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 is a rebroadcast of a segment that originally aired June 22, 2018. This segment is guest hosted by Melissa Clark.

 Please Explain: Milk | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 32:42

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. This is a rebroadcast of a segment that originally aired June 22, 2018. This segment is guest hosted by Melissa Clark.       

 Wines Making a Global Impact | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 15:20

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 is a rebroadcast of a segment that originally aired June 22, 2018. This segment is guest hosted by Melissa Clark.     

 Reopening the Dinosaur Debate | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 26:33

Bianca Bosker, author and contributing editor at The Atlantic, discusses her recent piece, "The Nastiest Feud in Science." Bosker profiles paleontologist Gerta Keller who refutes the widely accepted theory that what killed the dinosaurs was an asteroid hitting the Earth. Keller claims it was actually continuous volcanic eruption. Bosker’s article delves into this different fascinating theory as well as the long-standing feud between “catastrophists” who believe the dinosaurs were killed instantly by an asteroid, and the “gradualists” who claim that the fossil record does not support this theory.  This segment is guest hosted by Beth Fertig.

 Scams Target Undocumented Immigrants | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 22:15

Micah Hauser’s new report in the September 2018 issue of Harper’s Magazine titled, “The Deportation Racket,” takes a close look at how “con artists are preying on undocumented immigrants in detention.” Hauser reveals how this problem, which existed well before our current immigration crisis, is difficult to regulate in our complicated immigration system. This segment is guest hosted by Beth Fertig.

 The Implications of Gene Editing | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 30:51

Journalist Stephen S. Hall discusses his cover story in Wired Magazine, “The Mutant Future of Food,” (online as "CRISPR Can Speed Up Nature--And Change How We Grow Food"). Hall breaks down the cutting-edge gene editing technology called CRISPR and how it’s being studied and applied to fruits and vegetables, giving them qualities like being high yield, herbicide resistant, and having a flawless appearance. Hall is joined by bioethicist Jackie Leach-Scully of Newcastle University and the Nuffield Council on Bioethics. Leach-Scully explains the current legal status of gene editing in humans and the ethical implications of what this technology could mean for the future of our species.  This segment is guest hosted by Beth Fertig.

 Germs and Food Safety | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 17:24

Paul Dawson discusses his forthcoming book, co-authored with Brian Sheldon, titled Did You Just Eat That?: Two Scientists Explore Double-Dipping, the Five-Second Rule, and other Food Myths in the Lab. When it comes to food safety and germs, there are as many common questions as there are misconceptions. This book takes readers into the lab to determine how bacteria gets transferred. The authors track their experiments and subsequent results while offering in-depth explanations of good hygiene and microbiology. Did You Just Eat That? is available for pre-order now.  This segment is guest hosted by Beth Fertig.

 Life Shaped by Coding | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 34:02

Technologist David Auerbach discusses his new memoir Bitwise: A Life in Code. He breaks down how computers and algorithms affect us in our everyday lives.  Auerbach argues that as technology becomes more embedded in our lives we risk erasing our nuances and idiosyncrasies—the things that make us human. On September 25 at 7 pm David Auerbach will be at McNally Jackson (Williamsburg). This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.    

 Cars Are Collecting Your Personal Information | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 34:47

Christina Rogers discusses her recent piece in The Wall Street Journal titled “What Your Car Knows About You.” She looks at the data being collected by car companies, which includes everything from what music you play to how hard you pump your brakes. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.  

 The Truth about Activist Investors | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 14:05

In The New Yorker article "The Doomsday Investor," (online as "Paul Singer, Doomsday Investor") Sheelah Kolhatkar reports on activist investors who seem like watchdogs of corporate waste and corruption but who critics say are preying on companies and countries that are vulnerable. This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.  

 "Plant Blindness" Afflicts the U.S. | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 14:03

The Wall Street Journal recently published an article titled, “Rhododendron? Hydrangea? America Doesn’t Know Anymore,” in which journalist Douglas Belkin documents how the U.S. is struggling to educate its biologists in plant identification. The National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management can’t find enough scientists to deal with invasive plants, wildfire reforestation, and basic land-management issues.  This segment is guest hosted by Nancy Giles.    

 Sex Workers Find a Voice in the Midterms | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 15:59

Aída Chávez discusses her new piece for The Intercept titled “Sex Workers are Rallying Behind a Democratic Socialist Running for New York Senate.” The article looks at the challenges faced when trying to rally sex workers to support a candidate and what it means to inspire political involvement in this disenfranchised community.  This segment is guest hosted by Beth Fertig.

 Understanding the Washington Investigations | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 31:50

WNYC’s Andrea Bernstein and Ilya Marritz, hosts of the "Trump Inc." podcast, discuss Robert Mueller's investigation, Paul Manafort's trial, Michael Cohen's sentencing, and what these developments mean for the future of the Trump administration. This segment is guest hosted by Beth Fertig.

Comments

Login or signup comment.