cookbooks
How did Julia Child get her start as one of television’s most iconic chefs? In honor of Child’s upcoming centennial, we’ve got two classic black-and-white shows from her original series, The French Chef, plus her recipe for bubbling, cheese-topped French onion soup.
Still have too many plums? It’s time to grab the little wooden sticks and start making plum popsicles. Raw or roasted, flavored with cardamom, vanilla, or basil, these purple pops can cool off even the hottest summer afternoon, no plastic wrapper required.
Remembering longtime Bay Area cookbook author, writer, and teacher Marion Cunningham, whose updates of “The Fannie Farmer Cookbook,” among others, were the batter-splattered, soup-splashed go-tos for a modern generation of cooks.
Stephanie V.W. Lucianovic dishes the real scoop on picky eaters in her book “Suffering Succotash: A Picky Eater’s Quest to Understand Why We Hate the Foods We Hate” with a generous side of belly laughs. A manifesto for picky eaters, and an explainer for omnivores!
Soul Food Junkies, a new film by Byron Hurt which will be featured on KQED’s Independent Lens series, had its West Coast premiere in Oakland. Soul Food is both a beloved part of African American culture and a leading cause behind the epidemic of diabetes, heart disease and other health issues. The film details the historical and social influences on soul food and efforts by many to change the eating habits of a whole generation.
From Secret Breakfast to Bacon Peanut Brittle, Foie Gras Ice Cream Sandwiches to Hibiscus Beet Sorbet, the Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream Book has all the inside dish (and recipes) a fan could want.
Food in Jars author Marisa McClellan talks with Sarah Henry about the renewed interest in the age-old art of preserving.
What does Dad really want, besides an uninterrupted nap on the couch? Beer, bacon, and a few really good reads.
What to cook when it’s too darn hot? Ice cream, of course! This week, Stephanie Rosenbaum reviews Sweet Cream and Sugar Cones, a how-to guide from San Francisco’s Bi-Rite Creamery, with a recipe for Balsamic Strawberry Ice Cream.
Megan Gordon shares her thoughts on Alana Chernila’s new book, The Homemade Pantry: 101 Foods You Can Stop Buying and Start Making. And Alana agreed to share her recipe for Wheat Crackers with Bay Area Bites, and chats with us about the process of writing the book.
British food writer and passionate backyard gardener Nigel Slater is back, this time on the joys of homegrown fruit and nuts, with the newly issued American edition of Ripe: A Cook in the Orchard. Recipe for Crisp pork belly, sweet peach salsa included.
Mary Ladd profiles blogger Michael Natkin, a Seattle cook who created the award-winning Herbivoracious blog and has a new cookbook. Natkin describes what it’s like to be on tour and possibly opening a pop-up restaurant that is a live version of his blog.
I really wish I could write out Jacques’ voluptuous accent phonetically without it looking like I’m making fun of him. His cadence is just so enchanting, it makes you want to sit back with a glass of slow-sipping Calvados, close your eyes, and simply listen to all his stories.
Sarah Henry finds many new produce-centric hits among the recipes in the cookbook Ripe: A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables by local Cheryl Sternman Rule.
Megan Gordon discusses her favorite five spring cookbooks focusing on gardening and produce, farmers markets, and fresh food. It’s time to celebrate all the color popping up, and these five writers and chefs are an inviting place to begin.
Bay Area Bites (BAB), KQED's public media food blog, feeds you visually compelling food-related stories, news, recipes and reviews from the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Enter your email address to receive updates each time we publish new posts.
ADHD In Childhood May Feed Obesity In Adults
People diagnosed with ADHD as children may be more apt to be obese in adulthood, scientists say. Differences in brain biology or the impulsiveness typical of ADHD may contribute to lasting, bad eating habits.
Flax Seed: The Next Superfood For Cows And Beef?
After years of research, an animal scientist looking for ways to keep inflammation down in cattle came up with a novel approach: feed them flax. The flax in their food helps keep animals healthy and has an added benefit for those who later eat their meat: omega-3 enriched beef.
Congress: Where Food Reforms Go To Die?
As Congress gets to work on the farm bill, two common-sense, bipartisan reform measures seem to have gotten run over somewhere along the way. The first would set minimum standards for housing egg-laying chickens. The second sought to change how the U.S. provides food aid to people in foreign nations.
Try A Do-It-Yourself Mother’s Day
Rather than waiting for someone to give you a treat, why not make one of your favorites for yourself? Something you can snack on all week when no one’s around. Or, better yet, something you don’t have to share. Food writer T. Susan Chang recommends slow-roasted pecans, salty-sweet matzo candy and more.
A Fresh Pod Cast: Savoring Spring’s Green Peas
Emerald green and tender, yet with a gentle crunch, garden peas can be so delightful when fresh — and so disappointing when not. Try them now in their seasonal prime in these recipes for chilled soup, a citrusy spread and a traditional rice dish.
Spring has sprung! And it’s time to bask in the garden, celebrating the sweet greens of spring with Fava-Bean Crostini topped with mint and Pecorino Romano cheese.
Hunan Home’s Restaurant, Radius, Guerilla Café: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Restaurants reviewed: Hunan Home’s Restaurant (San Francisco), Radius Restaurant and Café (San Francisco) and Guerilla Café (Berkeley).
Chris Hadfield: Space Chef In Chief
The Canadian astronaut didn’t just tweet and sing his heart out during his five months as commander of the International Space Station. He also took time out to show the world what it’s like to eat up there.
Bocanova, Willi’s Wine Bar, The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Check, Please! Bay Area reviews these restaurants: Bocanova (Oakland), Willi’s Wine Bar (Santa Rosa), The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus (San Francisco).
Celebrate the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market 20th Birthday Bash with CUESA
In honor of its 20th anniversary, Bay Area Bites looks back on how the Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market has become a San Francisco institution for chefs, home cooks, and curious eaters from around the world.
Exploratorium Elevates Museum Eating Experience
Chef Loretta Keller, the force behind the Exploratorium’s new culinary options, talks bee jet lag, living foods, and seawater cocktails with BAB’s Sarah Henry.
Grits, Fried Chicken and Gospel Brunch – Chef David Lawrence Discusses Life at “1300 on Fillmore”
Mary Ladd interviews Chef David Lawrence about his restaurant “1300 on Fillmore” which is known for fabulous grits, fried chicken and a lively Sunday Gospel brunch.
Hunan Home’s Restaurant, Radius, Guerilla Café: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Restaurants reviewed: Hunan Home’s Restaurant (San Francisco), Radius Restaurant and Café (San Francisco) and Guerilla Café (Berkeley).
First Impression: Healdsburg SHED
What would a wine country locavore’s paradise look like? Stephanie Rosenbaum talks to Cindy Daniel, owner of Healdsburg’s new SHED, a 21st-century grange, store, and sustainable-living center.
Bocanova, Willi’s Wine Bar, The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
Check, Please! Bay Area reviews these restaurants: Bocanova (Oakland), Willi’s Wine Bar (Santa Rosa), The Rotunda of Neiman Marcus (San Francisco).
Pompei’s Grotto, Lillie Mae’s House of Soul Food, SPQR: Check, Please! Bay Area reviews
The fourth episode of Season 8 features these restaurants: Pompei’s Grotto (San Francisco), Lillie Mae’s House of Soul Food (Santa Clara) and SPQR (San Francisco). Leslie Sbrocco shares wine tips about Napa Valley wines.
Cheese Books for the Curd Nerd
Every aspiring curd nerd yearns to embiggen their knowledge base about the dairy darlings they adore. Garrett McCord shares two books that help you gain a broader understanding of cheese and supply you with tasteful cheese-centric recipes.
Michael Pollan talks about his new book ‘Cooked’
As in his previous books, Michael Pollan argues in “Cooked” that relying on processed food disrupts our link to the natural world and weakens our interpersonal relationships. But this time he takes a more hands-on approach, doing apprenticeships with a variety of culinary masters who teach him the fine points of fermentation, the benefits of bacteria, and other secrets of honest cuisine. He joins KQED’s Forum in the studio.
KQED’s Forum: Mark Bittman on Part-Time Veganism
Mark Bittman talks about his new book, and how a full-time meat lover adapted to part-time veganism.
Are the benefits of genetically engineered foods worth the risks? Check out this half-hour special from QUEST Northern California that explores the pros and cons of genetically engineered crops and what the future holds for research and regulations.
Baby & Toddler On The Go: fresh, homemade foods for a busy life (VIDEO)
A precociously independent toddler packs a healthy homemade lunch and heads off to snack in Bernal Height’s Holly Park in San Francisco. This video is a promo for Kim Laidlaw’s new book: Baby & Toddler On The Go: fresh, homemade foods for a busy life.
Deaf Foodies Savor Gourmet Ghetto Tasting Tour in Sign Language
A dozen Deaf Foodies relish the tastes and history of Berkeley’s Gourmet Ghetto in a 3 hour tasting tour presented completely in American Sign Language (ASL) by food writer (and ASL interpreter) Anna Mindess through Edible Excursions.
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