All Of It with Alison Stewart

It's Pickling Weekend at the New York Botanical Garden. Toby Adams, director of the NYBG's Edible Academy, joins us to talk about what brinetastic events are happening, why -- and how -- to get started pickling, and what the Edible Academy does.

The New York Asian Film Festival celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, and runs through July 31. Executive director Samuel Jamier joins us to discuss the lineup.

The House Committee investigating the January 6th insurrection held its final scheduled hearing last night in prime time, focusing on a minute-by-minute analysis of President Trump's actions during the Capitol riot. Karen Greenberg, the director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, discusses what we learned last night, and what future steps the committee, and the Department of Justice, could take.

According to the Billion Oyster Project, New York Harbor once had over 220,000 acres of oyster reefs in its waters. And not only can they also filter up to 50 gallons of water per day, but they taste pretty good too. As part of our ongoing summer series dedicated to learning more about outdoor recreational opportunities in New York City, Billion Oyster Project founder Pete Malinowski and Ann Fraioli, director of education, join to teach us about the history of oysters in New York City, why they're critically important to maintaining a healthy local ecosystem, and how listeners can get involved and volunteer in and around the Harbor.

On this day in 1853, the New York State Legislature approved the establishment of Central Park. At that time, the land was home to a dairy, a number of farms, several cemeteries, two bone boiling factories, a couple of gunpowder storage sites -- and about a thousand people. Sara Cedar Miller joins us to talk about this history. She is the historian emerita of the Central Park Conservancy, and the author of Before Central Park.

Sara Cedar Miller is giving a virtual talk about Central Park on Tuesday, July 26 at 6pm. For details, go here. 

It's hot--and too hot to turn on the stove. Eater restaurant critic Robert Sietsema joins to share his favorite places to eat this summer, from food courts to fine dining and we'll take listener calls for their favorite places to frequent, too!

*This segment is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

The Aperol Spritz had a moment, Hibiscus has been the rage, now according to NYT Cooking Editor Becky Hughes, this summer is all about the Dirty Shirley. Hear about this twist on the kids' drink and other popular flavors at bars this season. Mocktails too!

*This segment is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees Chicago have a new album out, their 38th according to the band, titled Born For This Moment. Founding member and trumpet player Lee Loughnane joins us for a Listening Party.

*This segment is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

New York-based band Interpol celebrated the 20th anniversary of their debut album this year, and the band has returned with a new album. Founding member Daniel Kessler joins us for a Listening Party for the album, The Other Side of Make-Believe, which was released last Friday.

*This segment is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

Every baker aspires to receive a handshake from Paul Hollywood. "The Great British Baking Show" judge rarely dishes out a handshake to contestants, and only if whatever was baked was up to his standards. Hollywood's new cookbook, BAKE: My Best Ever Recipes for the Classics, includes both sweet and savory recipes, and he joins us to discuss the basics of baking, how to take your home baking to the next level, and his experience working on the popular television show.

Victoria Sandwich

If you’re new to baking, this should be your very first cake. If you get it right, everything else will be easy. You can make a Victoria sandwich using the all-in-one method, where you mix everything together in a bowl at the same time, but I encourage you to cream the fats and sugar together before adding the eggs, flour and raising agent, as you’ll learn a lot about baking this way. Baking is a science. That’s why, if possible, I prefer to weigh the eggs first and then adjust the quantities of the other ingredients to get the perfect balance. I like to use half margarine for a lighter texture and half butter for a rich flavor. Traditionally, it’s filled with just preserves, but if you’re feeling indulgent, feel free to add whipped cream or buttercream.8–10 slices4 large eggs (in their shells)1 ¼ cups (about 240g) superfine sugar1 ¾ cups plus 3 tbsp (about 240g) all-purpose flour3 tsp baking powder1 stick (about 120g) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease the pans1 stick (about 120g) margarine, softenedTo finish½ cup (125g) raspberry preserves (good-quality)A little superfine sugar, to sprinkle

Heat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 8-inch (20cm) cake pans and line the bases with parchment paper. Weigh the eggs first (in their shells), then weigh the same quantity of sugar and flour. For the butter and the margarine, you need half the weight of the eggs.In a large bowl, cream the butter, margarine and sugar together using an electric whisk until pale in color and light and fluffy (1). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and beat again.Beat the eggs together in a pitcher, then gradually add to the mixture, beating well after each addition (2). Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Sift the flour and baking powder over the surface of the mixture and gently fold in, using a large metal spoon (3).Divide the mixture between the prepared cake pans. To ensure the cakes are exactly the same size you can weigh the cake mixture into each pan. Gently smooth the surface with the back of the spoon to level it (4).Bake in the center of the oven for 25 minutes until risen, golden brown and the cakes spring back in the center when lightly touched with a fingertip. They should be slightly shrunken away from the edges of the pan. Leave the cakes in the pans for 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack. Leave to cool completely.

When cold, sandwich the cakes together with the raspberry preserves and sprinkle the top with a little superfine sugar.

Excerpted from BAKE by Paul Hollywood. Text © Paul Hollywood. Photos © Haarala Hamilton. Reprinted by permission of Bloomsbury USA.

This episode is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.