Tip of the Tongue

The restaurant industry is hard. Margins are tight. Costs always threaten to become out of control. The workers work nonstop in a stressful environment, whether front of house or back of house. They aren’t highly paid. And the stress may take its toll. And in addition to the mental health issues facing restaurant workers, the economy and the whims of weather, politics, and what’s hip, make job security precarious. But it is out of your control. What do you do when you cannot stand the stress or pay your bills? You can call Southern Smoke for assistance. Southern Smoke is a 501(c) (3) organization which supports restaurant workers.We talk to Southern Smoke Foundation founders, Lindsey Brown and Chris Shepherd. Lindsey Brown is a former marketing and communications expert who is now Executive Director of Southern Smoke. Chris Shepherd is a James Beard Foundation award-winning chef and entrepreneur and tv personality. You can listen to more about Southern Smoke from Kat Bill at Tip of the Tongue Episode 295: Southern Smoke. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

What does a young man with undiagnosed ADHD and dysexia do with his life? With the help of loving parents Bobby Stuckey is a founder of the James Beard Foundation award and Michelin-starred Frasca Hospitality Group. He is also a master sommelier and cookbook author. He is a long-distance runner. He is a man who has embraced the hospitality industry and been rewarded for it. We talk about his journey and his work. Listen! It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

For those who hate vegetables, those pesky green things on your plate can be more than a nuisance. They are turn you off to even the best of food. Heidi Herman is such a person, trying to be healthy and eat her veggies despite hating the taste of vegetables. She grew with an Icelandic mother who found the array of vegetables available in the US to be not only perplexing, but a disappointment. Now she is trying to make vegetables palatable to the vegetable averse. And she is trying to reach adults, not just children. Her book, Hidden Vegetables Cookbook: 90 Tasty Recipes for Vegetable-Averse Adults, is full of recipes for those who share her aversion. And I can attest to the fact that her recipes are delicious even to the vegetable lover.Listen! It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Heidi Herman Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

If you consider getting dinner on the table intimidating, or a chore, or sometimes you’re just too busy, Rachel Farnsworth offers a world of advice for saving money and cooking quickly. No meal planning for you. No making a grocery list for you. She does it for you, with a great depth of other resources on her website. You can sign up for Cheap Eats and get an email with a weekly menu and shipping lists. This is not something you pay for. It is for you. And whether you use it all or in part, it can be quite a time and money saver.We talk to Rachel about her website and her helpful ideas. Listen, it’s on Tip of the Tongue. Listen here, on Heritage Radio Network, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

What do you do when you have allergies or special food preferences or restrictions? Can you eat out or must you prepare everything yourself? Can you trust the restaurant? That is where Foodini comes in. We speak with Dylan McDonnell, one of the company’s founders, about the solutions to these issues that Foodini addresses.Listen! It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Ed Mitchell is the name that comes to mind when anyone says North Carolina barbecue. This is an encore broadcast of our podcast about his book, Ed Mitchell’s Barbecue.The book was written by the pitmasters Ed and Ryan Mitchell with Zella Palmer.. In the book they tell their story. On the podcast we learn the story of the book as well as the journey into the 21st century.Listen! It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

I don’t keep a gratitude journal of all of the wonderful and joyous things I experience every day. Tamar Adler does. And her new book, Feast on Your Life: Kitchen Meditations for Every Day, reveals her moments of awe and gratitude in the kitchen. Tamar is the award-winning author of An Everlasting Meal. (She was awarded by both the James Beard Foundation and the International Association of Culinary Professionals.)She has cooked at Chez Panisse, Farm 255, and Prune. Formerly she was a New York Times Magazine columnist and a contributing editor at Vogue Magazine. Her newsletter, The Kitchen Shrink, is on Substack. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Worried about the high price of food these days? Many people are feeling the pinch of grocery store prices these days. Carol Ann Kates has written a book , Grocery Shopping Secrets, filled with tips on buying and storing and using that food. The book covers fruits and vegetables and meats and fish and cheese. Everything in the grocery.I am thrilled that the book has a wonderful index which makes it easy to find the answers to your questions. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue.This is a reference book that covers so many different foods. It covers seasonal foods all year round. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

This is the first episode of an intermittent series about the birth and the development of a new project in Evergreen, Colorado, The Hummingbird Club. The project is the brainchild of Sarah and Josh Hess. Their project is a new restaurant that serves brunch every day. It will have a lagniappe hour after the brunch service ends and become a refuge for children after school. You can read the creed of The Hummingbird Club below.Our CreedWe practice the sacred arts of brunch, kindness, and lagniappe. Food that hugs back, a space that says “stay,” and a promise to show up for our kids and creatives.This episode will introduce Sarah and Josh, allowing them to introduce themselves and their plans. After The Hummingbird Club opens, we’ll revisit them for an update on how their plans are unfolding and how they are adapting. A work in progress. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Although many modern bartenders find the Ramos Gin Fizz to be a nuisance at best. and more work than it is worth at worst. But that famous drink, invented by Charles Ramos, continues to fascinate us. John Shelton Reed, storyteller, author, and historian of the south, tells the tale of the Ramos Gin Fizz in his new book by that name. John Shelton ReedWant to know more? Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. The list of writings by John Shelton Reed is a long one. Notable among them and apropos of this book is his book entitled Dixie Bohemia: A French Quarter Circle in the 1920s, Louisiana State University Press, 2012). Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Product development, sales, marketing, and kitchen design all factor into Gaye Sandoz’ career. From an education as a dietician to her work with companies and her mentoring of those who dream of making a living making food, she has stories to tell. I love the one about packing a frozen brisket in her luggage, much to the confusion of airport security.There is lots to learn from Gaye Sandoz. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Many people work in stressful environments. It can take its toll on you, leading to unhealthy attempts to find relief from that stress. Drugs and alcohol are high on the list of the types of self-medication that might be pursued.. Southern Smoke, a nonprofit organization that supports people in the hospitality industry from the stress of financial insecurity to mental heath issues. We talk to Cat Bill is the Chief Mission Officer of Southern Smoke. She walks us through their programs like the Emergency Relief Fund, Behind You - the no-cost counseling, and the Crisis Toolkit. These are all available to F & B workers.A symposium is coming up in November in New Orleans. Check out the line-up. I’ll be there. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Do you consider a restaurant to be a business? Is the chef an artist or a craftsperson turning out identical versions of the same thing? What is your expectation from a restaurant? Adam Reiser has been a part of the wait staff in many high-end restaurants. He has seen many catastrophes happen. And he shares his experiences and his ideas about guests and guest comportment in his new book, The New Rules of DIning Out: An Insider’s Guide to Enjoying Restaurants. Listen to our conversation. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Adam Reiner is a James Beard Foundation award-winning writer. Calling on his previous experience as part of the wait-staff at restaurants, he now writes about food for many publications. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

When you are looking for a quick way to perk up your cooking, just grab Milk Street Shorts: Recipes That Pack a Punch , a new book from Milk Street. We talk to J.M.Hirsch, James Beard Foundation award-winning writer and Editorial Director at Milk Street about the book and its recipes, with ideas inspired by the library of recipes developed from 10 years of Milk Street. We talk about shortcuts, quick fixes, and my favorite tip from the interview - using an overturned sheet pan on top of cauliflower steaks to cook both sides at once.You’ll find lots of ideas and inspiration in the book. J.M.’s enthusiasm for deep flavor is contagious. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Dedra Faine is a hospitality maven. But hospitality to her includes love and connection. And when she plans for a public event, these same elements are present. Even if you don’t need her services you can learn abouth her attitudes and priorities from her books. Her new book is A Breath of Grace: Embracing the Spiritual Gift of Hospitality. We talked about this and more. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Even thinking about the name - The Obituary Cocktail - carries a touch of romance and a touch of the macabre. That is a tantalizing combination. We speak to Sue Strachan, the author of The Obituary Cocktail, for her authoritative take on the cocktail and other things tinged with absinthe. Sue is also the author of another drinks book, Café Brûlot, about that legendary flaming drink. We discuss the fine points of the Obituary Cocktail, vermouth and its fragile nature, what kind of gin is best in the drink, and how much absinthe is just right. I put in my plug for Death in the Afternoon. Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Starting from her family's kitchen in Detroit, Michigan, Chef Celeste has become a fixture on the food scene in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She was important to the development of the downtown market. And she has just written a cookbook, Chef Celeste’s Louisiana Kitchen: Simplifying Cajun and Creole Cuisine, which is full of personal stories and delicious recipes. Listen, it’s on Tip of the Tongue.And her book . . . Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Not many companies that are still operating in the United States were started in the 1700s. Laird and Company is one of them. We have a lively conversation with Lisa Laird Dunn, President and Global Ambassador. She is the 9th generation to operate the business, and her children have joined the company. Imagine 10 generations of apple brandy! Listen to what Lisa has to say. It’s on Tip of the Tongue.You can read about the history of the company and all of its products.And if you are interested in recipes, there are plenty of cocktail recipes on the website. There is even a cookbook available. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

If you want to cook efficiently and make best use of your resources, you will love Mary Bryant Shrader’s The Modern Pioneer Pantry: A Complete Guide to Preserving Food. It will help you eliminate waste and really make use of your resources. You’ll be prepared for disasters and for those days when you have been so busy that you haven’t had a chance to go to.the store. It is a great supplement to her previous book, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook.You can listen to an earlier podcast with Mary. She talks about her first cookbook, The Modern Pioneer Cookbook. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe

Do you love grilling and smoking, but you have limited space to do it? Are you new to smoking, but want to experiment? Do you just want to have fun outdoors? Watch Morgan Bolling as she experiments, very successfully, with backyard grilling. No fancy equipment, just the ordinary stuff that we all might have. The perfect equipment for fun and learning! We talk to Morgan about the show, how it came about, and whether there will be more of it. Listen, it’s on Tip of the Tongue.Here is the cache of recipes from the show. You probably know Morgan from America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country. And she is the author of When Southern Women Cook. Get full access to Tip of the Tongue at tipofthetongue.substack.com/subscribe