Hello, and welcome to the CulinaryWomam Newsletter! I’m especially happy to see our newest subscribers. This is the weekly free edition. For more fabulous features, such as Red Beans and Advice on Mondays, The Conversation on Wednesdays and to be eligible for our giveaways, upgrade to a paid subscription.
CulinaryWoman also makes a great last-minute holiday gift for someone in the food world or who loves following food trends. Click here to give it as a gift. We appreciate your recommendations, too. Feel free to send readers our way. Thank you!
My Favorite Food Broadcasts of 2022
Not long ago, if you wanted to watch a cooking show on television, you had two basic choices: PBS and the Food Network. Food-focused radio was even harder to find. I remember an NPR producer telling me that food was difficult to explain when you could not taste it.
Now, of course, the broadcast landscape has exploded with culinary choices, and they are not limited to North America or even Britain. The Internet and streaming have put international fare on our screens. Multiple podcasts like Dan Pashman’s The Sporkful (that’s Dan with his James Beard medal) are putting culinary topics in our ears. So much for the “food doesn’t work on radio” theory.
Here are some of my favorites for 2022, with a news item right up top.
Searching For Italy with Stanley Tucci
Maxine and I loved watching Season One of Searching For Italy. It brought back memories of our family trip there when I was at school. This month, I’ve been watching Season Two, thanks to YouTube TV. But Season Three will not be airing on CNN. It canceled the show and other outside productions as part of its extensive cost cutting.
I think Searching For Italy would be a great fit on Netflix, which would get rid of the annoying commercials. It also might work nicely on the BBC, although they are cutting, too. Or, at the very least, I hope Stanley will keep making his Instagram and YouTube videos. He has one of my favorite voices.
Somebody Feed Phil
It’s delightful to think that Phil Rosenthal turned getting canceled by PBS into an entire enterprise that includes TV, podcasting, a book and his live show.
He’s now produced six seasons of Somebody Feed Phil for Netflix. In doing so, he paid homage to his parents, Max and Helen, a favorite feature of each program, who are now no longer with us.
Along with food and travel, Phil provides comedy, some of it very close to old-school Borscht Belt. It’s intentionally eye-rolling, but his sight gags are some of the funniest on TV. Come for the locations, enjoy the chefs and dishes, stay for Phil dressed up like a gaucho.
Street Food
I love the Street Food series on Netflix. The first two seasons highlighted Asia and Latin America. The most recent came to America. Many of the chefs and cooks featured on the show are women from diverse backgrounds.
The New Orleans episode featured Miss Linda, whose expertise is yakamein, the salty flavorful noodle soup that is a hangover tonic. If you are ever here and spot Miss Linda at a festival or block party, head right for her booth.
Welcome! First Time In Korea?
My friend Luke Song hooked me on this Korean program during the pandemic. You can find dozens of episodes on line; don’t miss the series featuring the Finnish friends, who are celebrities in Korea.
The most recent episodes have been snappy and fun, featuring brothers from New Zealand, visitors from Germany, Austria and most recently, Sweden. Korea and its cuisine are high on my list for the future, thanks to the curiosity this show has sparked.
The Baking Shows
This is the year when the Great Canadian Baking Show zoomed past The Great British Bake Off to become the best baking competition on television. The challenges, along with the judges and hosts (shown above) are a model for enjoyable and informative TV.
This season of GBBO brought the hideous Mexico Week, showing how far it had sunk. But there were two pieces of good news. Syabira, talented and adorable, won the cake plate. And Matt Lucas is leaving as one of the hosts.
My plea to Love Productions: PLEASE add another woman, preferably someone of color or a non-British background, to break up the whiteness and provide some much-needed global perspective. Use Canada as your role model.
Favorite food podcasts
Podcasts have become my late evening routine. I alternate from reading before bed to relaxing and learning.
Over the past year, I have loved Milk Street Radio (I admire everything Christopher Kimball does across his media platforms). Two episodes stand out: his conversations with Jacques Pepin and Aleksandra Crapanzano, author of Gateau, which was one of our giveaways.
The Sporkful has been as innovative and sharp as ever. I also enjoy the BBC Food Programme, which regularly dives into global food topics. Bake Off fans will enjoy The Bake Down, in which past bakers review each episode.
From New Orleans, Liz Williams hosts Tip of the Tongue, where I was honored to be a guest this fall. For a Chicago perspective, it is always fun to listen to Chewing, with Louisa Chu and Monica Eng.
I would love to get your feedback and suggestions for your favorite shows and podcasts. What should we watch and listen to in 2023?
Food Trends For The Coming Year
Articles are popping up with predictions for the food world, including this one from The Takeout. I’m willing to go out on a limb and say we will hear about:
Union organizing efforts
Tinned fish (it’s never gotten respect in America and some of it is great)
Mediterranean sweets and spices, like those sold at Royal Roastery in New Orleans
Limited restaurant and food shop hours, due to staffing, inflation and inventory
Pop ups going brick and mortar
Stay tuned for more developments as 2023 kicks off.
Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman
Next week, I’m planning a double newsletter issue to encompass Christmas and New Years Day, which both fall on Sundays. It will include some of my favorite books in 2022. We’ll announce the winner of our latest giveaway for The Big Texas Cookbook.
There’s still time to upgrade and be eligible. Also, paid subscribers will get all their bonus content in both weeks.
Reach me at culinarywoman at gmail dot com. I am shifting from Twitter over to Post. Find me there @mickimaynard.
Wishing our Jewish friends a festive Hanukkah! I’ll see paid subscribers tomorrow with Red Beans and Advice and everyone else next Sunday for the last issue of 2022. Stay well!