Point of Origin

When we talk about terroir, it’s usually in the context of wine, and the human and environmental conditions that influence the characteristics. But on a recent visit to California, writer and cook Jasmine Lee began to ask questions about this framing, inspired by an heirloom variety of rice with a beautiful name called, Kokuho Rose. Jasmine, who comes from a lineage of rice merchants in Hong Kong, wondered  whether it was possible to think about expressions of the land; ie, terroir, without thinking of about the history and politics of land use in the United States. If this heirloom rice is an expression of the land it was grown on, it is also an expression of the trauma and perseverance with the family who worked that land. 

Next, Chef BJ Dennis tells us about his move to St. Thomas in 2004, where he encountered black folks from around the West Indies. Upon learning he was from the lowcountry, they preceded to share stories and insight about the Gullah Geechee, a distinctive culture of the  descendants of West Africa’s rice coast. The experience changed the trajectory of BJ’s career, catalyzing his calling as a chef and scholar of the culture. 

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All fruit come from flowers, but not all flowers become fruit. Once you start to see the two as the same, the world of both grow more interesting. Dates, honey and saffron: we’re gettin sweet and spicy with stories from Egypt to Iran. 

In episode 3, we meet Leila Elamine of The Recipe Hunters, Gordon Hull of Heidrun Meadery, and spice expert Ethan Frisch of Burlap and Barrel.

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In episode two of Point of Origin, we continue on our theme of preservation, and bring you on a trip to Iceland where we meet a chef turned geothermal salt maker, and a farmer there who’s making an extremely regionally specific dairy product.

Thanks to our friends in Iceland, Gisli Grimmson, Bjorn Jonsson of Saltverk, and to Thorgumir Gubratsson of Erpstadir Skyr. Special thanks to Abbie Richert of Finca Coffee for bringing us a salty dispatch! 

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The tale of two yogurts and the fight to protect Goa’s fishing villages and waters, it’s all about preservation. It keeps us alive and teaches how to live.

Our inaugural episode features guests Amrita Gupta of the Food Radio Project, Sana Javeri Kadri of Diaspora Co. and food writer and cookbook author Priya Krishna. 

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Point of Origin is a podcast about the world of food, worldwide. From the makers of Whetstone Magazine. Each week we travel to the countries, cultures and culinary traditions that gave birth to what we eat and drink. The in-depth conversations and field recording are augmented by new explorations of ingredients and dishes in the context of their culture of origin. In addition to taking listeners around the globe, whether it’s to Indonesia for coffee or India for turmeric, the show’s mission is also to elevate the voices of indigenous people and women of color. Point of Origin is about deepening our understanding by going to the source, as the study of food, of its past and present, teaches us who we are and how we came to be.

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