Live from Cookbook Fest with Tyler Florence

In this episode of Salt and Spine, host Brian Hogan Stewart interviews acclaimed chef Tyler Florence live from Cookbook Fest in Napa. Tyler shares his inspirational journey from a childhood filled with severe food allergies to becoming a renowned chef and television personality. Growing up in South Carolina and cultivating a deep love for Southern cuisine, Tyler's path led him to culinary school and eventually to New York City's culinary scene. He discusses his passion for live fire cooking, his newest cookbook 'American Grill,' and the importance of sustainable beef production. The episode also features a fun culinary game where Tyler demonstrates his creativity in crafting a dish using randomly drawn ingredients.

00:00 The Ceremony of Cooking

00:24 Introduction to the Live Episode

01:05 Tyler Florence's Early Life and Food Allergies

04:11 Discovering a Passion for Cooking

08:35 Culinary School and Early Career

13:34 Moving to New York and Early TV Appearances

15:56 The Journey to Fame and Success

23:24 Sustainable Beef and Regenerative Agriculture

30:33 Mastering Live Fire: The New Cookbook

31:11 The Comet and Its Tail: A Metaphor for Career Decisions

31:53 Launching a Steak Restaurant: The Comet Moment

32:33 From Comfort Food to Grilling: A Culinary Pivot

33:08 The Art of Grilling: Personal Insights and Techniques

34:27 Celebrating Culinary Achievements and Collaborations

36:44 Alice Waters: A Friendship and Culinary Inspiration

37:16 The Essence of California Cuisine

42:38 Cookbook Inspirations and Southern Cooking Techniques

45:49 Fun with Grilling: A Culinary Game

54:17 Conclusion and Farewell

Enjoy this excerpt as Viola Buitoni reads from Italy by Ingredient.

As Viola recounts, one vivid memory stands out from her childhood. It was a late September day when her mother took her to a fishmonger in Orbitel, nestled by the southern Tuscan coast. The experience, accentuated by the salty breeze of the lagoon and the familial presence, introduced her to bottarga—a cured fish roe delicacy—that has lingered in her kitchen and heart for fifty years.

Viola fondly recalls stepping into the courtyard, her mother’s gentle guidance leading her to bottarga, an ingredient as much about tradition as it is about taste. She vividly describes their ritual of shaving it over buttered toast with lemon upon returning home, which later graced their spaghetti—a testament to Bottarga’s sea-like essence that mirrors the salt, wind, and shells.

Exploring Italy by Ingredient with Viola Butoni

In this episode of Salt and Spine, host Brian Hogan Stewart welcomes Viola Butoni to discuss her first cookbook, "Italy by Ingredient." Viola delves into her rich Italian culinary lineage, tracing back to the Butoni pasta and bocce chocolate. Growing up surrounded by fresh, homegrown produce and moving to New York, she transitioned from restaurant kitchens to owning a food shop, and eventually becoming a beloved cooking teacher. Viola's cookbook integrates her Italian roots with California's agricultural bounty, aiming to guide home cooks in exploring authentic Italian flavors with pantry staples. Throughout the episode, they discuss Viola's cooking tips, her unique recipes, and the creative process behind combining traditional and innovative Italian cuisine. The show also features a culinary game and an excerpted recipe narrated by Viola.

00:00 Welcome Viola Buitoni03:08 Family Legacy and Food Heritage05:17 Childhood and Early Food Experiences08:22 Moving to New York and Culinary Beginnings11:20 Starting a Catering Business13:43 Transition to Teaching and Italy by Ingredient 15:42 The Concept of Italy by Ingredient 29:07 Choosing the Best Meat for Stew 29:41 Creative Rice Recipes 32:44 Pork Tenderloin in Bread Crust 34:43 Anchovy Enthusiasm 37:40 Chicken and Rabbit Recipes 40:24 Cookbook Inspirations 44:45 Italy by Secret Ingredient Game 49:08 Conclusion and Farewell

Episode 168: Sohla El-Waylly

This week, Sohla El-Waylly joins us to #TalkCookbooks! I was so thrilled to have Sohla join us in studio for a chat about her career and her debut cookbook, Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook.

In this episode, we hear from Sohla about her childhood, growing up in the San Fernando Valley and watching her mother prepare elaborate, multi-course Bengladeshi dinners for dozens (sometimes hundreds) at a time. And despite a phase as a picky eater, Sohla realized early on that she enjoyed working with her hands—from building furniture (lots of clocks!) to, eventually, cooking.

After culinary school and working in fine dining kitchens, Sohla found herself gravitating towards food media, working first with Serious Eats and then Bon Appetit. While not her initial career objective, Sohla has carved a space in the competitive food media world, celebrated for her on-camera work and creative approach to culinary history.

With her cookbook Start Here, Sohla created a playful-but-informative tome (600+ pages!) that emphasizes teaching culinary techniques for both sweet and savory cooking. And she’s intentionally done so in a way that many such technique-driven cookbooks before it haven’t: by rejecting the notion that European culinary technique are supreme, ensuring the book includes recipes from a wide range of cuisines and diets.

🎙️ | We had a great chat with Sohla—and of course, we put her to the test in our signature culinary game! Find this episode here on Substack and anywhere you get your podcasts.

This week, Lara Gilmore joins me to discuss Slow Food, Fast Cars, the latest book from her and her husband, chef Mossimo Bottura.

The book tells the story—through photography, essays, and of course recipes—of Casa Maria Luigia, the boutique inn (albergo) opened by Lara and Mossimo in 2019. Once here, a restored 18th-century villa offers a dozen guest rooms, uniquely decorated with art from Lara & Massimo’s personal collection.

From there, the property unfolds: meticulously landscaped orchards and vegetable gardens supply the casual kitchen, led by Osteria Francescana alum Jessica Rosaval, and the on-site restaurant, Francescana at Maria Luigia, where Rosaval and team offer a nightly tasting menu showcasing nine of Massimo’s most iconic dishes. Nearby is the “playground,” where you’ll find a pool table, a gym, and most visibly Massimo’s collection of cars and motorcycles.

And Casa Maria Luicia breathes the region, down to every detail: guests staying on the property will find hunks of Parmigiano Reggiano and bottles of Lambrusco greeting them in their rooms.

This dichotomy of fast/slow appears often in Massimo’s work. Perhaps most known is his dish, Five Ages of Parmigiano Reggiano, which has been an evolving presence at Osteria Francescana for decades. “It’s about celebrating the slow passing of time,” he tells Forbes, “with a fast and contemporary mind.”

In Slow Food, Fast Cars, you’ll find recipes like:

Gnocco Fritto, the classic Emilian fried dough, in this case topped with mortadella, whipped ricotta, and extra-aged balsamic vinegar. (“Once you join the fraternity of gnocco fritto,” the authors write, “it is very hard to turn back.”)

Smoked Beef Short Rib, a less traditional way of addressing the short rib cute in Modena, but one that at Casa Maria Luigia is paired with a sauce built from smoked fresh apricots and marigold vinegar.

Tiramisu, an “untouchable classic” that the team serves in small, individual-sized glass jars to guests.

An ML Pantry section that offers infused waters (Fennel Water!), preserved fruits (Amarena Jam!), and other conserves, oils, vinegar, liqueurs, and salts.

🎙️ | We had a great chat with Lara—and of course, we put her to the test in our signature culinary game! Find this episode here on Substack and anywhere you get your podcasts.

Episode 166: James Park

This week, James Park joins us to discuss his first cookbook, Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings.

James is a seasoned recipe developer and food writer who has been published in outlets including Eater, Food52, BuzzFeed, and Chowhound. After moving from Korea to the American South when he was 13, James began to navigate two cultural identities and continued to turn to food as a medium.

And unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know chili crisp has been having a ~moment~ in the United States. While the condiment has become trendy in the US, its roots are deep in Asia and became a more steady consumer product when Lao Gan Ma began producing containers of chile crisp in China’s Guizhou province in the late 1990s. A slew of American brands have emerged with chili crisps and chili crisp-inspired products, with Cathy Erway chronicling the “cult of spicy chile crisp” for TASTE. Just this month, David Chang’s Momofuku brand drove chili crisp headlines after going after (and then backing off) companies using their trademarked term “chili crunch.”

So when James went to write his first cookbook and narrowed his focus on chili crisp, it was in sync with the zeitgeist. Though he considers himself an “unofficial chili crisp ambassador,” James didn’t discover the condiment until later in life, which allowed him to see how he could incorporate it into recipes in creative and unexpected ways.

“Chili crisp opened the door of connections with other Asian cultures for me,” James writes in Chili Crisp. “The more I tasted chili crisp, the more I appreciated it and was proud to be a part of it. It even became my pickup line when making new friends. Do you know about chili crisp? Do you like chili crisp? What's your favorite way of enjoying it? Do you want to try my chili crisp?”

In Chili Crisp, James presents recipes like:

* Kimchi Quesadilla with Chili Crisp

* Savory Morning Oats with Jammy Eggs and Pork Floss

* Chili Crisp Bucatini Carbonara

* Beef Short Ribs Ragu

* Fiery Spaghetti and Meatballs

* Chili Crisp Biscuits with Honey-Butter Glaze

* Chili Crisp Ice Cream Two Ways

* And more!

We’ve got a great chat with James—and of course, we put him to the test in our signature culinary game! Find this episode anywhere you podcast.

Chili Crisp: 50+ Recipes to Satisfy Your Spicy, Crunchy, Garlicky Cravings by James Park

If you already love chili crisp, this book is for you. If you're new to it, this book is for you. With more than 50 recipes, Chili Crisp is here for you, wherever you are on your spicy life journey.

Packed with chili crisp inspiration to take your love of this spicy ingredient to the next level, Chili Crisp provides dozens of no-recipe recipes (like potato chips and chili crisp, a match made in snack heaven) and a handy build-your-own chili crisp formula to inspire you to create your very own version. Soon all your family and friends will be clamoring for a jar.

Well, hello there! It’s been a minute. The Salt + Spine team has been busy taking some much-needed rest—and, of course, planning for an inspiring year ahead. What’s in store? Amazing podcast episodes, naturally, and all the typical goods: exclusive recipes, cookbook giveaways, and behind-the-spine content you won’t find anywhere else. But there’s more brewing. Big stuff! I can’t spill all the beans yet—but stay tuned for a cookbook lover’s dream, coming this summer. Woo!

I hope your 2024 is off to an excellent start. Can you believe we’re already six weeks in? I blinked and it’s Valentine’s Day. And now, I’m so thrilled to be back with all of you to launch our 14th season (!!!) of Salt + Spine.

By the way… It’s a new season of Salt + Spine, and if you love what we do, we would be so grateful if you shared the word! Click below to share this episode with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too.

Before we get to this episode…

🎧 What I’m Listening To

* Absolutely loving this new mini-series from Sohla El-Waylly and Ham El-Waylly in collaboration with The Sporkful team. Episode 1 starts with murder and ends with tamale-inspired soup. Start at the beginning. (Psst, stay tuned for my chat with Sohla soon, too!)

📖 What I’m Reading

* Lots of (very, very deserved) love for The Zuni Cafe Cookbook lately in Eater and TASTE. If you write about TZCC, I will read it.

* I just finished Less and, whew, adored it. I’m late to the party, and it sat on my shelf for several years. But I picked it up recently and couldn’t put it down. I also just finished the behemoth Wellness by Nathan Hill (who’s both an alum of my university and of my college newspaper!) Loved his first novel, The Nix, and Wellness was just as captivating and satisfying.

Episode 165: The State of California Cuisine with Reem Assil, Tanya Holland & Sara Calvosa Olson

Alright, we’ve got some fun conversations in store this season, and we’re starting by letting you into one of our recent, incredible live events. A hearty crowd joined us in the fall at the stunning Mill Valley Public Library, nestled in a great forest of California redwoods, for a chat we called “The State of California Cuisine.”

A lofty title, I know! But we knew just who could bring the modern, representative views of what’s happening in Cali cuisine today: our friends Sara Calvosa Olson, Tanya Holland, and Reem Assil.

* Sara is a Karuk home cook whose first cookbook, Chími Nu’am: Native California Foodways for the Contemporary Kitchen, “reimagines some of the oldest foods in California for home cooks today.” Think: acorn crepes, blackberry braised smoked salmon, wild boar pozole, peppernut mole chicken. Sara bills the book as an “accessible entry for people beginning their journey toward a decolonized diet.”

* Tanya is the award-winning chef and restauranteur behind Oakland’s beloved Brown Sugar Kitchen (no current brick & mortar location), and a well-known culinary personality. Today, the “Top Chef” alumna chairs the James Beard Foundation’s Awards Committee (and sits on the foundation’s Board of Trustees). Her third cookbook, Tanya Holland's California Soul: Recipes from a Culinary Journey West, showcases 80 seasonal recipes rooted in the “key ingredients, techniques, and traditions that African Americans brought with them as they left the South for California, creating a beloved version of soul food.” Alongside recipes, Tanya shares stories of Black Californian food-makers, from farmers to coffee roasters.

* Reem is a Palestinian-Syrian chef-activist based in Oakland, CA, who spent a decade as a labor and community organizer before turning to restaurants and opening Reem’s California. Reem brings her social justice lens to the restaurant industry, pushing for more just economic and labor practices. The La Cocina alumna’s debut cookbook, Arabiyya: Recipes from the Life of an Arab in Diaspora, “shares stories of the power of Arab communities to turn hardship into brilliant, nourishing meals and any occasion into a celebratory feast.”

We’ve got a great chat with a lively, engaged live audience. And of course, with these three incredible cooks in one room, we had to put them all to the test in our signature culinary game! Enjoy.

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of these books via Bookshop:

Coming up this week: Paid subscribers to Salt + Spine will receive three recipes from this week’s featured books:

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

This Week’s New Cookbook Releases

Catching up with 2024 books here, so these include January releases, too!

* Praisesong for the Kitchen Ghosts: Stories and Recipes from Five Generations of Black Country Cooks by Crystal Wilkinson

* The Farm Table by Julius Roberts

* Cool Food: Erasing Your Carbon Footprint One Bite at a Time by Robert Downey Jr. and Thomas Kostigen

* 5 Ingredients Mediterranean: Simple Incredible Food by Jamie Oliver

* Eat More Plants: A Chef’s Journal by Daniel Humm

* 15 Minute Meals: Truly Quick Recipes that Don’t Taste Like Shortcuts by Ali Rosen

* Come Hungry: Salads, Meals, and Sweets for People Who Live to Eat by Melissa Ben-Ishay

* Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes That Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun by Kate Ashmore

* The Complete Beans and Grains Cookbook: A Comprehensive Guide with 400+ Recipes by America's Test Kitchen

* Après Ski: 100 Cozy Drinks to Warm Up Your Winter by Cider Mill Press

Hi there, I hope those of you who celebrated Thanksgiving had a relaxing and delicious moment of gratitude. Or maybe you went hard like I did?

By the way: I’m so thankful for all of you, the Salt + Spine community. After six years, it’s incredible to continue to hear from you all—what you’re cooking, something in our interviews that stood out to you, and getting the chance to meet you at our events and live shows.

🍪 COOKIE SWAP!

Speaking of events… our annual Cookie Swap is just around the corner! For those of you in the Bay Area, I look forward to seeing you on December 10 for cookie demos, cookie sampling, glasses of bubbles, and of course swapping your baked goods with others! It’s always a blast. As in prior years, this event supports our friends at La Cocina and tickets are available here.

🎧 What I’m Listening To

* It’s that time of year and I’m thrilled to for the fifth year to join my friends Stacie & Meghan at Didn’t I Just Feed You to share some of my favorite cookbooks of the year. Give it a listen here!

📖 What I’m Reading

* Mayukh Sen’s wonderful profile of Madhur Jaffrey, 50 years after An Invitation to Indian Cooking was published. Knopf reissued the book, one of 20 she’s written, this year. “You’d be mistaken if you were to perceive Jaffrey, now 90, primarily as a cookbook author. ‘I’m an actress,’ she stated matter-of-factly. ‘And I do parts. One of the parts is playing a food writer.’” Read more in The Washington Post.

* I love a Cuban sandwich. The New York Times offers an illustrated history looking at the sandwich’s origins.

🍳 What I’m Cooking

* Nothing to report this week! Finally wrapping up on Thanksgiving leftovers and lots of meals out. A deserved break from cooking after last week.

Hey there, do you love Salt + Spine? We’d love if you shared this email with a friend who might want to #TalkCookbooks with us, too:

Episode 164: Dan Pelosi

In this week’s episode, Dan Pelosi and I discuss:

* His path to “Grossy Pelosi,” from cooking alongside his family as a kid (yuck cakes!) to how his background in design and marketing set the stage for his pivot to working in food full time,

* How his viral recipes—vodka sawce—take off and whether he’s tired of making them,

* Why he declines potluck dinner party invites and what he asks guests to bring when he’s in control of the menu.

Plus, as always, we put Dan to the test in our signature culinary game.

Let's Eat: 101 Recipes to Fill Your Heart & Home by Dan Pelosi

GrossyPelosi is your best friend in the kitchen--actually, he's family.

In his debut cookbook, larger-than-life personality Dan Pelosi offers up a warm hug of home cooking, sharing both comfort food and connection with 101 of his nearest and dearest Italian American recipes. Some have been passed down through his family, and others have been cooked up from scratch--but all are made with love and accompanied by fun, meaningful stories to warm your heart while filling your belly. Read how Bimpy (the 100-year-old grandpa the internet loves to love!) smuggled homemade subs into Yankee Stadium, then craft your ultimate Big Italian Sandwich. Relive the memory of Dan learning how to make his friend's mom's stuffed chicken cutlets in their Jersey Shore house (and getting himself adopted into their family), then level up with Prosciutto & Mozzarella-Stuffed Chicken Parm. Learn how Dan's mom would spring him out of school before the final bell (just to preheat the oven), then make your own Early Dismissal Pot Roast. And rewind to the beginning of Dan's relationship with his boyfriend, Gus, then recreate the Zabaglione (and the romantic Cheesecake Factory ambiance) that inspired their first "I love you."

We 💚 local bookstores. Pick up your copy of Let’s Eat here:

This week, paid subscribers will receive two featured recipes from Dan’s Let’s Eat—the classic Italian Holiday Cookies with “an elusive and unique flavor profile that’s somewhat hard to nail down,” and a crowd-pleasing Baked Brie Bread Bowl that’s perfectly “Peak Pinterest Mom.”

Both recipes are hitting inboxes shortly so make sure you’re subscribed today:

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.

See you next week!

Hi there. First today: We’re remembering beloved photographer Aubrie Pick, who tragically passed away last week after a battle with cancer. Aubrie’s work was stunning and personal, and she was a visionary creative force in the Bay Area. Elana Kadvany writes in the San Francisco Chronicle:

Pick’s images — vibrant and charismatic, like the photographer herself, collaborators said — have left an indelible mark on the national food scene, and particularly in the Bay Area. Pick photographed numerous high-profile cookbooks, from celebrity chef Chrissy Teigen’s “Cravings” and Bay Area chef Tanya Holland’s “California Soul” to Andrea Nguyen’s “Vietnamese Food Any Day.” Her photos were featured on the covers of Bon Appetit and Food & Wine magazines. She captured Chez Panisse owner Alice Waters in her Berkeley backyard, and caught the light falling just so across a set restaurant table. 

There is an ongoing GoFundMe to support Aubrie’s husband Erik and 2-year-old daughter Romy here.

📖 What I’m Reading

* Julia Moskin spent over a year working to lock in an interview with Half Baked Harvest’s Tieghan Gerard, who has become a polarizing figure in the cookbook industry—so much so that Moskin notes most of the sources she contacted wouldn’t go on the record. Gerard’s early viral success built her a massive online following, and her books sell quite well—but, as Moskin writes, she has “also become an unwilling lightning rod for controversy, entangled in issues that have galvanized the food world in the last decade: cultural appropriation, intellectual property, body shaming, privilege and racism.” A fascinating piece that prompts many discussion questions. Read more in the New York Times here.

🎧 What I’m Listening To

* 🎙 This week, I adored this conversation with Andrea Nguyen and her mother, Clara, who makes her podcast debut on The Bittman Project. Have a listen:

🍳 What I’m Cooking

* 🦃 It’s almost T-Day! This year, I’m hosting a small pre-Thanksgiving dinner party that’s “Thanksgiving-inspired” and built around cookbooks. A new twist and I’m excited to share the menu with y’all soon!

Episode 163: John Finger + John Ash

This week’s episode was recorded *live* at Hog Island Oyster Co. on the shores of Tomales Bay in Northern California. I’m joined by Hog Island co-founder John Finger and revered chef John Ash for this conversation, which took place while our audience enjoyed a spread of dishes from the new Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood.

In the show, we discuss:

* The history of Hog Island Oyster Co. and oyster farming in America, and the introduction of Hog Island’s Sweetwater oysters;

* How sustainable aquaculture practices have evolved over time—and what’s on the horizon;

* And the wide-ranging new Hog Island cookbook, in which John Ash pulls in recipes and techniques from around the globe.

Plus, as always, we put our guests to the test in our signature culinary game!

The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood: Culinary Treasures from Our Waters by Chef John Ash, with a Foreword by Stuart Brioza

Featuring favorites from the kitchens of Hog Island Oyster Bars and other talented chefs who have embraced the company's sustainability ethos, this authoritative compendium showcases over 250 dishes from cuisines around the world, including regional favorites like San Francisco cioppino, Southern crayfish étouffée, and New England clam chowder. Presenting a wide variety of cooking methods--such as steaming, roasting, grilling, pan-frying, and curing--along with illustrations for techniques like shucking oysters, opening clams, and filleting fish, this comprehensive cookbook will guide you through the basics of seafood preparation. And the extensive list of sauces, butters, and seasonings will help you turn your choice of seafood into a stellar dish.

The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood is a master class from a chef who shows home and professional cooks how to bring culinary gifts from the water to the table at their peak of perfection.

We 💚 local bookstores! Pick up your copy of The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood here:

This week, paid subscribers will receive two recipes from The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood: a perfect-for-Thanksgiving Cornbread Oyster Stuffing with Thyme and Fennel … and a classic Grilled Oysters with Four Sauces (we’re talking Chipotle-Bourbon Butter! Harissa Butter! Mendocino Miso Butter!)

Salt + Spine is supported by listeners like you. For this week’s recipe—plus exclusive content and hundreds of other featured recipes—become a paid subscriber today.