Heidi Herman, author of The Hidden Vegetables Cookbook, joins David Crowley on the Cooking Chat podcast to share her journey from lifelong veggie-averse eater to creative veggie enthusiast. Discover the inspiration behind her cookbook, packed with 90 recipes for adults who want to eat healthier without sacrificing taste. Heidi reveals practical tips for prepping, storing, and freezing veggies, plus creative hacks to incorporate them into every meal—even desserts! Learn how to enjoy more vegetables, reduce kitchen waste, and make plant-based eating approachable for everyone. Whether you love or loathe veggies, this episode offers expert advice, surprising stats, and easy ideas to boost your nutrition and flavor.

Check out the Cooking Chat Food & Wine podcast for an engaging conversation with Aly Wente, a member of the fifth generation of the family stewarding Wente Family Vineyards—America’s longest continuously family-owned and operated winery. With over 140 years of history rooted in California’s Livermore Valley, Wente Vineyards has made major contributions to the story of American wine from its German immigrant beginnings to its current focus on sustainability and innovation.

Aly shares how her family pioneered California Chardonnay, including the origin of the famed Wente Clone, which now influences 75% of all Chardonnay grown in the state. She also reflects on her personal journey that brought her to be part of the next generation of the Wente family guiding the winery into the future.

Discover what makes Livermore Valley an excellent spot for making wine, and why the region's winemakers have decided to lift up Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Franc as the region's signature. During this episode, host David Crowley tastes two examples of Wente's wines that highlight the promise of these grapes.

If you're passionate about wine, inspired by family business legacies, or curious about under-the-radar wine regions, this episode blends tradition, innovation, and the future of American wine in one compelling story.

The recently rebranded Cooking Chat Food and Wine podcast features Martin Redmond, wine blogger and Treasurer of the Glancy Wine Education Foundation. Martin shares his journey from discovering wine and starting his ENOFYLZ blog, and discusses his passion for wine and food pairings. The conversation explores pairing tips for spring produce, including how cooking methods such as  roasting or grilling asparagus impact wine matches. Martin also reflects on Lodi, California’s wine scene and the evolving character of Zinfandel, offering listeners inspiration for enjoying local food and wine together.

Learn about all things mushrooms in this episode of the Cook Local Eat Local podcast! Host David Crowley from Cooking Chat talks with Elizabeth Almeida, Fat Moon Farm Owner and Farmer in the latest episode.

This episode covers:

• An easy way to clean mushrooms.
• Delicious ways to prepare and serve mushrooms.
• Elizabeth's background and motivation for starting a mushroom farm.
• How Fat Moon Farm got its name.
• Inspiration to grow your own mushrooms.

Tune in to learn more about growing and preparing mushrooms, and meet a passionate local food entrepreneur!

This episode features AnnaBelle from Seasonal Eats talking about how seasonal eating can help you enjoy healthy meals in 2025 and beyond. AnnaBelle's enthusiasm for seasonal eating is infectious, and she is full of practical tips! Give it a listen and lean into seasonality this year! Interviewed by David Crowley from Cooking Chat.

This episode covers:

• AnnaBelle's early interest for cooking growing up in Minnesota.
• How learning about farmers markets and CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) piqued AnnaBelle's interest in seasonal eating.
• Tips for how planning and using methods like freezing can help you eat seasonally year round even in cold climate areas like Minnesota and New England.
• The value of developing relationships with your local farmers.
• How seasonal eating boosts the nutritional value of your food and promotes sustainability.
• Resources for finding local food in your area.

As New Year's Eve approaches, this rewind episode revisits a conversation with Robert Russell from Westport Rivers Vineyard and Winery. This local winery in Southeastern Massachusetts produces a wide range of wines suited to New England, and they are especially well known for their sparkling wine.

The episode covers background on Westport Rivers and discusses how they approach growing grapes and producing wine as part of the broader agricultural system in the region.

Cook Local podcast episode featuring Jen Faigel, talking about the work of Commonwealth Kitchen to transform the food economy by supporting local food entrepreneurs and reshaping the food system. Hosted by David Crowley, from Cooking Chat.

This episode covers:

• How you can support Commonwealth Kitchen (CWK) members by purchasing a special holiday gift box.
• Jen's background in real estate and community economic development.
• How CWK supports local food entrepreneurs by providing shared kitchen space and helping them develop their businesses.
• Why starting a business is a logical pathway for wealth creation for the demographic groups CWK serves.
• How CWK is transforming the food economy through partnerships with local institutions that give food entrepreneurs access to markets for their products.
• Strategies to reduce food waste by partnering with local farms to create products with produce that would otherwise be unused.

This episode features Annette Anthony, author of "Always Enough: A Global Food Memoir", in the latest episode of the Cook Local podcast. She talks with host David Crowley from Cooking Chat about her culinary journeys across three continents and shares ideas for what we can do with the final CSA vegetable pickup of the season.

This episode covers:

• Annette's early food memories growing up in Philadelphia.
• Her embrace of local ingredients in West Africa, which enhanced her cooking skills.
• A tasty way to prepare carrot mash.
• Recipe ideas for beets and sweet potatoes.
• The recipes and stories you can find in her book, Always Enough.

Listen to the episode for Annette's global perspective on local food!

Recipes for classic cooking with local veggies, featuring Angela Latimer from Bake It With Love, interviewed by David Crowley from Cooking Chat. On her website, Angela shares classic recipes, comfort food treats, hearty soups, rich and delicious desserts, and much more - all in easy-to-follow recipes that the whole family will love

This episode covers:

• Angela's early cooking experiences influenced by her family, particularly her grandmothers and mother.
• Discussion about favorite recipes passed down through generations, including stroganoff and casseroles.
• How Angela and her husband enjoy cooking together as a couple.
• Why cooking at home is so cost-effective and often better than what you can get a restaurant.
• Angela shares her favorite method for cooking Brussels sprouts using bacon, butter, and beef broth in a cast iron skillet.
• Discussion on using an air fryer for crispy potatoes with minimal fat.
• Angela talks about freeze-drying onions and suggests a recipe for Tennessee onions, which involves thick-sliced onions baked with butter and cheese.

Angi Schneider talks about preserving fresh vegetables through a variety of methods. Angi has written two books on the topic! She also shares ideas for vegetables from our latest CSA pickup, including cherry tomatoes, leeks and kale. Hosted by David Crowley from Cooking Chat.

This episode covers:

• Angi's approach to leading a simple life.
• How Angi's interest in cooking and simple living evolved.
• Strategies for preserving fresh food through drying, freezing and canning.
• Ways dried foods can be used to add nutrition to meals while avoiding food waste.
• Ideas for preparing cherry tomatoes, leeks and kale.
• Topics covered in Angi's books.
• Equipment and tips for those just beginning to preserve their food.