The CulinaryWoman Newsletter, Memorial Day Weekend 2022
What makes the perfect food and travel show?
Happy Memorial Day weekend to our newsletter readers! I am so thrilled that you are here.
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What Makes Good Food/Travel TV?
If you like TV shows that combine food and travel, May has been a wonderful month. A few weeks ago, Stanley Tucci returned with a second season of Searching For Italy. And last week, Phil Rosenthal rolled out Season 5 of Somebody Feed Phil.
His program has special meaning for me, for several reasons. First, a number of my friends in the food world have been featured in the series, notably the late Julia Reed, who appeared in episodes on New Orleans and the Mississippi Delta. Second, Maxine loved the show, and was happy to “watch a Phil” any night of the week.
Third, the show has visited some of my favorite places and introduced me to new ones. I have relived visits to London, Montreal, Italy, Chicago and New York. Meanwhile, Marrakech, Copenhagen and Singapore are all high on my list of places I’d like to see for the first time.
Phil repeatedly tells viewers to get out and travel, which has not been as easy to do since the pandemic hit. The pandemic has made programs like his all the more important. That has made me think about the ideal combination in a food and travel TV show.
Anthony Bourdain’s High Bar
Many people point to Anthony Bourdain’s programs as setting the gold standard for the genre. He took viewers to a number of exotic places they might never attempt on their own. He ate any kind of food, went to all manner of events and layered that with a mythical macho, swaggering persona. He lived a big life and took us along for the ride.
Stanley Tucci’s approach is much different and to be honest, more my style. Already famous as an actor, he mixes culinary intellect with humor and elegance. I’m not sure I’d be cool enough to mingle with some of the historians and chefs on his series, but I’ve enjoyed hearing him interview them and watching him cook with them.
Last year brought High On The Hog, which was deeply steeped in African-American history as well as food and travel. I am looking forward to another round of Stephen Satterfield’s shows when they land, possibly late this year or next year.
On the pure comedy side, there is Travels With My Father, starring Jack and Michael Whitehall (another Maxine favorite). They are more focused on the travel quotient and less on food, although there was plenty of it, often played for a joke, such as the CBD edibles lunch the Whitehalls had in Las Vegas.
Phil comes in as less high minded and more entertaining, no surprise, given his roots as an actor and creator of Everybody Loves Raymond. His sometimes eye-rolling jokes, wild enthusiasm and willingness to look silly make the show approachable for many generations. He involves his family and friends, and he finds local writers and chefs who can spotlight the cities where he visits.
Has a TV show inspired you to travel?
This season’s Phil shows go to Oaxaca, Portland, Maine and Portland, Oregon, Helsinki and Madrid..
In the case of Helsinki, Phil’s episode paired nicely with another food and travel show that I watch called Welcome! First Time In Korea? The most popular episodes of the show by far featured four young men from Finland and their adventures in South Korea. Watching Phil’s experiences, I got a sense of the Finnish friends’ home country.
On his Instagram account, Phil regularly reposts photos and video from fans who visit the places on his program.
It looks like he’s sending ample business to merchants and food places, and that his viewers thoroughly enjoy his recommendations. Those are two great results of any food and travel program, and I hope he will go to more places before the series ends.
Is there a food and travel program that you enjoy, or which inspired you to go somewhere?
My Heart Is In Uvalde
My ears pricked up last week when I saw a tweet with the first news about a shooting in Uvalde, Texas. I’ve been there - I’ve been to many places in Texas, where I have family and friends.
That first tweet turned into a torrent of unspeakable tragedy that seems to get worse the more we hear. This week has been unbearable for the families of that kind Texas town, and it is heart break shared by anyone with children and who loves children. For those of us who teach, the loss of two Uvalde teachers is additionally painful.
In the midst of the deep sorrow, it turns out that World Central Kitchen is there. They set up food trucks for anyone in Uvalde who wants a meal, and they delivered meals to Uvalde’s florist and the undertaker.
Look for the helpers, said Mr. Rogers. While I have tears in my eyes, I’m so proud of WCK for providing comfort amidst an awful situation.
What I’ve Been Writing
I had a very busy writing week, and I was able to incorporate my move into several of my stories.
I wrote about my road trip for the Washington Post, and how people setting off on summer vacations might get some unhappy surprises.
One of my unhappy surprises was how I bungled moving my kitchen. I simply have way too much for my space. Here are some tips at The Takeout on avoiding my mistakes.
On my last visit to Starbucks, I discovers that my favorite drink now costs north of $4. I came up with an iced green tea lemonade hack for The Takeout.
On Twitter, I spotted yet another conversation in which someone wished they could shop like a European. Well, you can, because I do. Here’s how to make the transition.
Keeping Up With CulinaryWoman
Last week, I was honored to appear before members of the Jewish Book Council Network to pitch Satisfaction Guaranteed. The JBC has more than 100 members, who represent book fairs, Jewish Community Centers and other groups that host speakers on Jewish themes.
I’m hopeful that I’ll be invited to talk about Zingerman’s food and business philosophy with these terrific organizations, either virtually or in person.
Chef Jason Goodenough hosted me at a multi-course dinner for his immersive New Orleans travel experience, The New Culinarian. (The strawberry shortcake above was his dessert.)
Be sure to check out what Jason is doing and come on down.
You can reach me at CulinaryWoman at gmail dot com. That’s the address for PR pitches and to offer giveaways to our readers. I don’t observe embargoes and I don’t drink alcohol, so please avoid those. Also, I am now based in New Orleans, not Washington, D.C., even though I write for the Washington Post.
Follow my new Instagram account, @micki_in_nola to see my adventures here. I’m on Twitter @culinarywoman.
Have a safe and healthy Memorial Day weekend. See you next Sunday.