No Satiation

This week, we're talking about ice. Ice houses, ice cream, Vanilla Ice. Well, that's pretty much it. We could have gone into ice baths, The Ice Storm, and the melting arctic ice. But we didn't.

This is the continuation of last week's episode in which Austin Chronicle food editor Virginia Wood talks about the changes happening in the Austin food scene. We discussed how Austin has become a darling of the national food media, how good food is starting to move out to neighborhoods, and the role of food trucks in the local food ecology. 

This week, I talk to Austin Chronicle Food Editor Virginia Wood about the foundations of Austin's culinary culture. From grade school gardens to farmers markets to culinary schools to new restaurants garnering national acclaim, Austin has put a lot of energy into educating its citizens about good food. Also, get a preview of the Chronicle's annual restaurant poll.

Will gives a tribute his late grandmother-in-law, remembering the unique dishes--pepperoni rolls, varenyky, and squirrel stew--that made an impression on him. Producer Travis Hartman talks with his brother, Rhett Hartman, about how boot camp as a U.S. Marine changed his relationship with food.

Think about your food. Think about money. Think about sustainability. Talk about what it takes to eat well. Then go foraging. No, the whole episode is not in the imperative.

It's a fiesta this week, but we're partying Beijing-style. I had the wonderful opportunity to take an online cooking class from Mary Helen Leonard. She taught me and Harms Place food blogger Angela Bell how to make Chinese dumplings. We had a wonderful time. Three hours of cooking, conversation, and food nerdiness. Also, I lash out at Sherry Turkle's latest column in The New York Times. In "The Flight From Conversation" Turkle suggests that new media inhibit, rather than foster, conversation. My experience this week was exactly the opposite.     


Learn how I stretch my food dollar in these tough economic times. Listen to my favorite story about food, "Stone Soup." Also Peter Reinhart talks about the transformative power of baking.

In this episode, I talk with my buddy Nate Kreuter about hunting feral pigs. I also talk to The Meat House Manager Russell Henckel. He tells me that wild hogs in Texas are usually feral pigs that escape captivity. Henckel also talks about hunting pigs and gives some mouth-watering tips on how to prepare them.

I start to consider The New York Times call to "Tell Us Why It’s Ethical to Eat Meat." My argument for the TNYT writing contest is not fully formulated, but you can hear me start to work through some ideas. Check back next week for a more polished version of the argument. In this episode, hear from David Foster Wallace and Jonathan Safran Foer on the ethical questions around eating meat.

Listen to my experiences at the second annual Foodways Texas Symposium. It was a great experience. I know I have a lot to learn about Foodways, but this was a great place to start.

Because my wife encouraged me to implement austerity measures regarding my grocery shopping, I found myself at Wal-Mart. I was ambivalent about it. On the one hand, I loved that I could stretch my food dollar. On the other hand, I know Wal-Mart is not exactly the paragon of sustainability. So I did some research. Listen to what I found. Wal-Mart might not be as bad as you think. Or maybe it is. The jury is still out. 

After some amazing barbecue, some engaging SXSW Interactive talks, some time spent with good pals Nate Kreuter and Travis Hartman, a taping of the live WTF with Marc Maron, a burger that always blows me away, a chance encounter with a friend of a friend, and a pitcher of beer, I was finally satisfied. Rather than marking the end of the show, this marks a new beginning. In a one-on-one conversation, Travis and I talk about the evolution of this podcast, and what kinds of stories might make for compelling future shows. If you have ideas, follow nosatiation on twitter and DM me some ideas.

I look at the first 10 years of The Simpsons and pull out some of the best food episodes. It occurred to me, in putting together this long episode, that it would be very easy to write a dissertation on the cultural implications of food in The Simpsons. I will leave that work to someone else. This is, perhaps, just a small plates version of what could have been a days-long feast.

Listen to me ramble on about definitive articles in cookbooks. Hear about what counted as wild game in the '70s and what counts now. Also, this just in: portion sizes have been increasing. Hear about a $450 cookbook that weighs more than 50 pounds. And don't you hate the tasting scene at the end of cooking shows? Listen to a spoof.

In this episode, I talk with Sugar Mama's Olivia O'Neal and Holy Cacao baker Luna Mitchell. And, just in time for Mardi Gras, I bite into a king cake. Or cupcake decorated like a king cake. Will I get the baby? Listen to find out.

In this episode, I talk about the A.P. Style guide's entry for "foodie." I talk about it for just over 14 minutes. It bugs me that much.

The third episode of the season is up and this one is a picnic. In this episode you will hear about a fortuitous picnic-related find, listen to stories about picnics, and find the best picnic gear on the market. Also—and I'm talking to the ladies here—learn how to pee standing up.

Listen to "The Good Burn" to meet a couple of Austin's pepper aficionados, literally hear me sweat, and get tips on what to do if you get pepper juice where it does not belong.

No Satiation is a foodways podcast. Foodways is the study of the social, cultural, and economic significance of what we eat.