Maybe you just spent two days perfecting a loaf of sourdough bread—and the picture you took just didn’t convey how delicious and perfect it turned out. Well, we can help you make those photos better. Our contributor Janet Keeler sat down with her husband, Scott Keeler, to talk about the nitty gritty of photographing food! Scott is a longtime photojournalist at the Tampa Bay Times. They worked together there when Janet was the food and travel editor. And their marriage has survived both that and her pandemic panic baking.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

In 2010, Stephen DiMare had just graduated from the University of Florida. It was the tail end of the Great Recession, and the job market looked bleak. But a chance encounter with a stranger gave Stephen the idea for what Floridians now know as The Hyppo Gourmet Ice Pops. Stephen opened the first store in his native St. Augustine. Today, The Hyppo has eight stores across Florida and is also available at many Publix supermarkets. Stephen chatted with Dalia Colón about The Hyppo’s origin story, flavors that didn’t make the cut and advice for creating your own ice pops to beat the Florida heat.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more ,available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

What does a journalist who specializes in grocery store shopping do when a pandemic hits? Like many people, Kathy Saunders turned to grocery delivery services to protect her family’s health. For 16 years, Kathy wrote a column for the Tampa Bay Times that used a tasting panel to assess grocery store products. All those years of shopping and tasting are still being put to good use. Contributor Janet Keeler talked with Kathy recently to get tips on how to get what you want when someone else is doing the shopping.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

What's the perfect beach house menu? Nothing fancy, nothing complicated. But you'd want it to be good enough to share with friends. 

For ideas, Robin talked to Mary Kay Andrews, a prolific novelist who grew up in St. Petersburg and whose more recent books have names like Summer Rental, Beach Town and Sunset Beach. Last year, she came out with The Beach House Cookbook: Easy, Breezy Recipes with a Southern Accent.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

If you’re prepping for a cookout or seeking to recreate stadium-quality hot dogs at home, Mel Lohn can help. He’s the larger-than-life personality behind Mel’s Hot Dogs. This month marks 47 years that Mel and his wife, Virginia, have been operating the restaurant, which has become a Tampa institution. The Zest’s Dalia Colón spoke with Mel about the eatery’s early days and how to make a better hot dog at home.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

There's an official-looking decal on the fridge at work. It says: "Hurricane Evacuation Plan: Grab beer. Run like hell."

It's true! Before a hurricane hits, people do tend to stock up on alcohol. (Also strawberry Pop-Tarts, according to Walmart.) So this hurricane season, while we're out picking up batteries and bottled water, let's plan ahead and gather supplies for some festive-feeling, stress-reducing, storm-themed cocktails. For recipes, Robin spoke to Jeannie Weaver, owner and chief mixologist at Revival, a craft cocktail bar in downtown Lakeland.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

In 2019, Alexandria Jones set out on a mission: to interview owners of a handful of black-owned eateries across Tampa Bay. She turned those interviews into a half-hour documentary called A Soulful Taste: Exploring Tampa Bay's Black-Owned Food Scene. In February of this year, Alex uploaded the video to YouTube, where you can watch the film in its entirety. Alex often writes about food on her blog, The Frugalista Life. She’s also a freelance food writer for Creative Loafing. Those connections came in handy when it came time to select restaurant owners to interview for the film, as Alex explained to The Zest’s Dalia Colón.

Plus, lots of us have rediscovered the art of home cooking lately. Along with that, we've been reading a lot of recipes. The Zest's correspondent Janet Keeler offers some advice.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

Miami has Little Haiti and Little Havana. Orlando has Little Vietnam. And in Northern Pinellas County, you’ll find an ethnic enclave like no other: Tarpon Springs. In the late 1800s, Greek immigrants established the town’s sponge-diving industry. Today, visitors flock to Tarpon Springs not only to buy sponges but also to sample the authentic Greek food. Mykonos restaurant has been a Tarpon Springs institution since 1992. The Zest's Dalia Colón chats with the restaurant's founder, Andreas Salivaras, and his granddaughter, Nichole Pastis, about Greek food and being in business as a family.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

The Orlando area has been experiencing an explosion of great restaurants. When there are so many choices, the Orlando Sentinel's Foodie Awards can point you toward some interesting local places to try. Amy Drew Thompson  is the Orlando Sentinel's multimedia food reporter, and 2020 was her first year of taking on the gargantuan task of singling out restaurants in 50 different categories.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from  Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.

Avera Wynne spent 30 years as an urban planner—a good job that paid for his barbecue habit. This certified barbecue judge now has his own line of seasoning blends called Zest Coast. Avera talks about when to use gas and when to use charcoal, plus he gives us his number one tip for grilling like a pro. Robin also asked him where the name Avera comes from, and it turns out there’s a connection to North Carolina and the Civil War.

Support for The Zest Podcast comes from Seitenbacher Brand Natural Foods, like Muesli cereals, oils, oatmeal, energy bars, gluten free fruit gummies for the kids, organic coffee and more. Available in supermarkets, health food stores or online at Seitenbacher.com.