Seasoned

Sam Zien, who is known as Sam the Cooking Guy, is not a trained chef, and he took a nontraditional path to cooking stardom. Today, millions of people watch his YouTube cooking series, and he’s the author of four cookbooks. This week on Seasoned, a conversation with one of the most approachable home cooks in America. Sam the Cooking Guy is with us to talk about his humble start making cooking videos in his kitchen. If you consider yourself an imperfect cook who sometimes gets stuck in a rut, you’ll find inspiration in Sam’s story. We talk to Sam about his latest book, Sam The Cooking Guy: Recipes with Intentional Leftovers and get ideas for leftover brisket, steak, chicken, mashed potatoes, and more.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email at [email protected].

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guest:
Sam Zien – Genius behind the Sam the Cooking Guy YouTube series and author of Sam The Cooking Guy: Recipes with Intentional Leftovers

Featured Recipes:
Jewish-Style Brisket
Perfect Roast Chicken
Weekend Fry-Tatta

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The flour is flyin’ and the oven is a hot 500 degrees! This week on Seasoned, tips for making pizza from scratch at home. Don’t you want to know how to get those yummy bubbles on the crust? And, a conversation with pizza historian Colin Caplan about his new project, Pizza, A Love Story, the indie film taking a deep dive into the history and the families behind the three pizza shops that made New Haven famous: Sally’s, Pepe’s, and Modern. Plus, we check in with a few neighborhood pizza joints from around the state and share your Instagram shout-outs for the best local pizza.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

*** NOTE: This show originally aired October 1, 2020. ***

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Small Thanksgiving dinners mean lots of tasty leftovers. Need some ideas for what to do with them all? This week on Seasoned, Chef Plum shares some favorite ideas for Thanksgiving leftovers: empanadas, turkey and dumplings, and a riff on a pasta alfredo. And we get a glimpse into the life of Connecticut turkey farmer Rick Hermonot and his curious birds. We also talk to soul food chef Craig Wright, who for the past three years has offered the Vernon community Thanksgiving dinner for free. Craig has overcome considerable hardship—and his story is inspiring. Plus, Alex Beggs is a senior staff writer at Bon Appétit magazine. She writes the etiquette column called “Is It Ever Okay." In this episode, Alex answers questions about celebrating the holidays in our new normal.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and email at [email protected].

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guests:
Rick Hermonot – Farmer and owner of Ekonk Hill Turkey Farm in Sterling
Craig Wright – Chef-Owner of Craig’s Kitchen in Vernon
Alex Beggs – Senior staff writer at Bon Appétit magazine. She writes the etiquette column, “Is It Ever Okay.”

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How do I know when the turkey is done? To stuff or not to stuff? How do I make silky smooth gravy? It’s that time again! Chef Brian Kaywork, instructor at The Culinary Institute of America joins Marysol Castro and Chef Plum for a live listener call-in show Thursday, Nov. 19. At The CIA, Brian teaches a class devoted to American cuisine, so we’ve got you covered this holiday. What's more American than Thanksgiving dinner? Plus, Connecticut sommelier G. Patel is ready to answer any questions you might have about what to drink with turkey (and pie!).

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guests:
Chef Brian Kaywork – Chef-instructor of American Bounty Restaurant on the New York campus of The Culinary Institute of America.

G. Patel – Certified sommelier and the owner of Bottle Stop Wine and Spirit stores in Newtown, Torrington, and Avon. And he also owns Valley Discount Wine in Ansonia, and the Madison Wine Exchange in Madison.

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We’re mixin’ it up with some serious bakers this week on Seasoned! “Pie Whisperer” Kate McDermott shares the tips and tricks you need to bake any pie this holiday, as well as how to use all your senses to bake great pies. Yes, bubbling fruit does make a sound you’ll learn to recognize. And, we highlight two new local bakeries you may not have heard of yet. Le Bánh Patisserie delivers French cakes and pastries to your door, and Kneads in Westport mills its own flour.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show

Guests:
Kate McDermott – Author of Pie Camp
Kim Hoàng Wood, Pastry chef and owner of le Bánh Patisserie
Brittany Moreno – Head baker and owner of Kneads Bakery • Café • Mill in Westport
Daniel Moreno – Chef and owner of Kneads Bakery • Café • Mill in Westport

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The holidays are coming, and even though you might be planning much smaller gatherings, there’s still plenty of cooking to do. We know you want to make this year’s meal special. This week on Seasoned: Turkey Tips! For some of you, it’s been a whole year since you roasted a turkey; we’ll help you get back in the groove—starting with where to get your bird. We also talk to a U.S. Navy chef about what it’s like cooking Thanksgiving dinner on a submarine. He’s got turkey tips for you, too.

Plus, we feature spirits from two local distilleries. Chef Plum tours SONO 1420, a very chill distillery in Norwalk incorporating hemp seeds and flowers in all of their spirits. And a mixologist teaches Marysol Castro how to make a cozy warm cocktail with vanilla-infused Litchfield Distillery’s maple bourbon.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guests:
Aaron "Cinnamon" Fierros – Culinary specialist, 1st Class, U.S. Navy
Blake Poon – Distiller and mixologist at SONO 1420 American Craft Distillers in Norwalk
Kelsey-Leigh Devane – Media, marketing, and mixology at SONO 1420 American Craft Distillers
Jessica Cote – Assistant general manager and bartender at Birch Hill Tavern in Glastonbury

Featured Recipe:
Warm Autumnal Reviver

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There’s a chill in the air, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to put the grill away. Thursday at 3:00 PM, we’re talking LIVE to barbecue expert Myron Mixon about cold-weather barbecue. This is your chance to ask the “winningest man in barbecue” questions about how to keep your grill game strong—all year long. Plus, we want to know where your favorite BBQ spots are in the state. Give your local barbecue joint a shout-out or share your own tips for grilling ribs, smoking meat, or making homemade barbecue sauce.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guests:
Myron Mixon - Four-time world barbecue champion, restaurateur, and the author of several barbecue cookbooks. His latest is BBQ&A with Myron Mixon. Myron was inducted into the Barbecue Hall of Fame in Kansas City in 2013 and he is currently the proud Mayor of Unadilla, GA.

Featured Recipes:
Whole Grilled Chicken
Smoked Turkey
Easy Backyard Brisket

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If you close your eyes and imagine a farm in Connecticut, you’re likely seeing a red barn, stalks of corn, bushels of greens, berries, and fruit frees. This week on Seasoned: Imagine a different kind of farming. Instead of rich, earthy dirt, think: salty sea air. We talk to Will Ceddia, co-owner of Sixpenny Oyster Farm in Noank and Suzie Flores, co-owner of Stonington Kelp Company about what it’s like growing seafood. Plus, Dan Meiser of Oyster Club in Mystic explains what makes local oysters so special. But to start the show off, a lesson home cooks of every skill level will appreciate: Chef Plum explains how to sear scallops perfectly.

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Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guests:
Dan Meiser – Owner of Oyster Club, Engine Room, and Grass & Bone in Mystic
Will Ceddia – Oyster farmer and co-owner of Sixpenny Oyster Farm in Noank
Suzie Flores – Co-owner of Stonington Kelp Company in Stonington

*** NOTE: This show originally aired September 17, 2020. ***

 

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If you’re anything like us, the first thing you do in the morning is make a cup of coffee. Whether you consider it a luxury or a necessity—or both!—we’re taking a deep dive on coffee this week. We’ll explore everyone’s favorite morning ritual with the help of a few coffee nerds, including René Martinez of J. René Coffee Roasters, Kaitlyn O’Keefe of Redding Roasters, plus coffee historian Stewart Lee Allen, and author Jessica Easto. Jessica wrote a manual on how to brew coffee at home. We’re also sharing your shout-outs for the best coffee and coffee roasters in the state.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guests:
J. René Martinez – owner of J. René Coffee Roasters in West Hartford
Kaitlyn O’Keefe – owner of Redding Roasters in Bethel
Stewart Lee Allen – author of The Devil’s Cup
Jessica Easto – author of Craft Coffee, A Manual: Brewing a Better Cup at Home

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Long before chef Maneet Chauhan was a fixture on Food Network’s Chopped, she was riding the railways of India, visiting her grandparents, stopping along the way to eat and appreciate the regional foods of India. Chaat, a type of street food, are the iconic snacks of India. This week on Seasoned, a conversation with the woman chef José Andres calls “the culinary ambassador from India to the United States.” Maneet shares the inspiration behind her new cookbook, Chatt. Maneet is on a mission to make Indian food more accessible to home cooks, and in this special hour, she shares family stories and recipes from her book everyone can make at home.

Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter, and email at [email protected]

Robyn Doyon-Aitken and Catie Talarski produced this show.

Guest:
Maneet Chauhan – author of Chaat: Recipes from the Kitchens, Markets, and Railways of India. She is also a James Beard Award winning chef, restaurateur, and judge on Food Network’s Chopped.

Featured Recipes
Thupka (Chicken Noodle Soup)
Ros Omelette
Rista (Spiced Lamb Meatballs with Spicy Red Sauce)

Support the show: https://www.wnpr.org/donate

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.