All Of It with Alison Stewart

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.

[REBROADCAST FROM OCTOBER 25, 2021] In Unrequited Infatuations, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer and E Street Band guitarist Stevie Van Zandt recounts meeting Bruce Springsteen, becoming an activist, being cast on "The Sopranos," and more moments from his impressive life story. 

We revisit the conversation with Van Zandt following last week's announcement of a Bruce Springsteen and The E Street Band tour in 2023.

This episode is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

A charming new film stars Lesley Manville as a housecleaner who dreams of buying a designer dress at the famed Christian Dior salon in Paris. The film's director Anthony Fabian joins to discuss "Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris," which is in theaters now.

This episode is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

A heat wave is a good time to get on, and in, the water. WNYC reporter Gwynne Hogan offers a guide for canoeing and kayaking around the city, and gives an update on NYC public pools.

This episode is guest-hosted by Kerry Nolan.

Simón Mejía is the founder of the Colombia-based band Bomba Estéreo. He joins us to talk about the band's latest album, Deja, and about collaborating with Puerto Rican musician Bad Bunny on one of the summer's biggest songs, "Ojitos Lindos." Mejía also previews a screening of his film "El Duende" at NuBlu on July 22, and the release of the film's soundtrack on the same day, under his solo project, Monte.

Bomba Estéreo will perform at the the Let'sGetFr.ee festival in Queens on August 21.

If you've ever wondered where people who are kidnapped by aliens go, novelist Mat Johnson has one answer: to New Roanoke, a settlement on a moon of Jupiter which has all the comforts of home -- if you're in the right socioeconomic level. His new novel, Invisible Things tells the story of a sci-fi future whose problems are all too familiar to the present. 

Emmy Award-winning screenwriter Abi Morgan was relieved when her husband woke up from a long coma, following a harrowing experience with a mysterious illness. But that relief was short-lived when she learned that her husband thought that she was a stranger posing as his wife. Morgan tells her family's story, and their journey to recovery, in her new book This Is Not a Pity Memoir.

The sun is out, the weather is hot, and many of us are looking for the perfect beach for a summer getaway. Will Gleason, North American content director for Time Out magazine and News 12 New Jersey reporter Brian Donohue join us to discuss the best beaches in our area. 

Based on true events, the new Apple TV + series "Black Bird" tells the story of a man facing a long prison sentence who is told by authorities that if he can get a confession out of a suspected serial killer, he might be able to walk free. Dennis Lehane, author of books like Shutter Island, Mystic River, and Gone Baby Gone, is the creator and showrunner of the series. He joins us to discuss "Black Bird," which airs new episodes Fridays on Apple TV +.