Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle
YOUR LAST MEAL is a James Beard Award finalist for best podcast hosted by National Edward R. Murrow award-winning reporter, cookbook author and Cascade PBS TV hostRachel Belle. Each episode Rachel asks a celebrity (Greta Gerwig, Jonathon Van Ness, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Margaret Cho, Alton Brown, Isaac Mizrahi, Ani DiFranco, Iron & Wine, etc) what they would choose to eat for their last meal. Then she uncovers the history, science and culture of these dishes with everyone from the designer who created Lady Gaga's meat dress to the ice cream scientists at Ben & Jerry's.
Thu, April 03, 2025
The Leftovers with Pink Martini
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from China Forbes and Timothy Nishimoto from Pink Martini! The Portland, Oregon-based band is taking off on tour this week to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Get tickets here! China and Timothy reveal their perfect birthday cakes, the countries they most enjoy eating in when they’re traveling the world, and what foods they can’t wait to eat when they get back home. Listen to last week’s Your Last Meal episode with Pink Martini! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Season Two premieres today! Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 27, 2025
Pink Martini: A 14-Course French Feast + Thanksgiving
Pink Martini is celebrating 30 years of global music, and for the band’s pearl anniversary, China Forbes and Timothy Nishimoto dish on oysters (get it?!), the group’s unusual origin story and Thanksgiving dinner. It may be March, but thanks to lead vocalist China Forbes’ last meal, we’re talking turkey! China is very particular about which seven dishes should appear on her Thanksgiving table, so host Rachel Belle consults with a food historian about what was eaten at the very first harvest feast. Pink Martini is a Portland, Oregon-based band, but they sing in 30 languages and have played with more than 70 orchestras in the world’s best concert halls – which means they have eaten their way around the world! Timothy reveals his last meal , a spectacular feast eaten on one of those tours abroad. Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle (Season 2 starts April 3!)! Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 20, 2025
Salt & Straw's Kim & Tyler Malek: Grandma's Cooking (Re-Air)
From pear & blue cheese to bone marrow with bourbon smoked cherries, Salt & Straw has always been experimental, and eager to weave local products and ingredients into their flavors. On this delightful episode, we hear how the highly successful brand got started (the story involves Portlandia, an ice-cream maker from Goodwill and Cheetos), the grossest flavor head ice-cream maker Tyler ever developed and, of course, their last meals – both chose sentimental dishes made by their Grandma Malek. Speaking of grannies, we’ll meet the owner of Enoteca Maria , a Staten Island restaurant where the food is cooked by a rotating cast of grannies from around the world. This month alone, the Nonnas of the World program welcomes women from 12 different countries, eager to share their unfussy homestyle cuisine. It’s hard to imagine a world without ice cream. Food historian Sarah Lohman shares the history of the sweet treat, and says we have Black enslaved Americans to thank for the invention of the creamy, delicious ice cream (and scooping tool!) we know and love today. Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle (Season 2 starts April 3!)! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 13, 2025
The Leftovers with "The Pasta Queen" Nadia Caterina Munno
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Nadia Caterina Munno, known to her 10 million social-media followers as The Pasta Queen, which also happens to be the name of her new Amazon Prime Italian cooking and travel show. On this bite-sized episode, Nadia reveals her all-time favorite pasta shape, how many times she's been to The Olive Garden and the Roman dish she thinks all Americans should be eating. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 06, 2025
"The Pasta Queen" Nadia Caterina Munno: Nonna's Lasagna
Nadia Catarina Munno is best known to her 10 million social-media followers as The Pasta Queen , a glamorous, dramatic Italian who crumples her face in ecstasy and throws her fork across the room after slurping up a sauce-slicked noodle. Cooking traditional pasta dishes in her Florida kitchen has earned Nadia two bestselling cookbooks and a new Amazon Prime series, The Pasta Queen. Nadia says she sees a lot of Americans committing unforgivable pasta-cooking crimes, so she created The 10 Commandments of Pasta, a list she shares with host Rachel Belle along with a story about what she ate immediately after giving birth to her third daughter. Nadia comes from a long line of farmers and pasta-makers, but she spent decades bucking family tradition. So we’ll hear from Cara Nicoletti, a 4th-generation butcher who founded Seemore Meats & Veggies so her customers would eat less meat. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 27, 2025
The Leftovers with Kevin Morby
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from singer/songwriter Kevin Morby. Kevin grew up in Kansas, and after 15 years of building a successful music career living in the coast’s largest cities, he has returned to his hometown. He tells host Rachel Belle why living in the Midwest can spark creativity, what Kansas City meal should be as famous as its legendary BBQ, and what he and his girlfriend (the musician, Waxahatchee) always eat when they return home from a long tour. Listen to Kevin on Your Last Meal. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 20, 2025
Kevin Morby: PB&J + Phở
Singer/songwriter Kevin Morby is a peanut butter and jelly man. Like most kids who grew up in the U.S. before peanut-allergy-mania, he loves the classic lunchbox version. But as an adult he’s taken to adding some very unorthodox ingredients like ... scrambled or fried eggs! In this economy?! You know who else eats a TON of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? NFL players! Actually, they eat a ton of Uncrustables, and there is data to prove it. Host Rachel Belle interviews the co-creator of Uncrustables to unpack why the world needed a premade PB&J. And we’ll learn a bit about the history of the PB&J from an expat American journalist who is heartbroken that her England-born children have no interest in her favorite nostalgic sandwich, just like everyone else in the U.K. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 13, 2025
The Leftovers with Alton Brown
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from TV host, chef and author Alton Brown. Alton famously loathes single-use gadgets , but the one he despises most still has a home in his kitchen drawer. He tells us why. And he shares how he developed a deep love for Jewish deli food as a kid growing up in 1970s Georgia. Seattle chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas joins the show to talk about his special relationship with his late mother's 70 year old stove. And Allen Salkin, author of The Uncensored History of the Food Network tells a juicy behind-the-scenes story about Ina Garten and Martha Stewart. Listen to last week's episode of Alton on Your Last Meal. Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame . Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 06, 2025
Alton Brown: His Wife's Witchy Soup
Alton Brown hosted Good Eats on the Food Network for 16 seasons, and says Julia Child, Mr. Wizard and Monty Python were his inspirations for the wacky, science-driven TV show he created. He just released his 10th book, Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations. Alton famously despises single-use gadgets, but he tells host Rachel Belle about the one item that must be present in every kitchen. He talks about why he is not worried about ChatGPT taking his job as a recipe developer, and admits that his wife Elizabeth, an interior designer, is a far more talented cook than he is. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame . Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 30, 2025
The Leftovers with Paula Poundstone
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from comedian Paula Poundstone! If you listened to last week's episode of Your Last Meal , you know Paula has a serious sweet tooth, from the Ring Dings she wants for her last meal to the sugar packets she used to eat for dessert. Same holds true in this episode where Paula shares her perfect birthday cake, the same one she's adored since childhood, and her very unexpected favorite holiday meal. Hint: it comes in "fun size." Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Order Rachel’s brand-new cookbook Open Sesame & get tickets to an upcoming book event! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 23, 2025
Paula Poundstone: Ring Dings
Veteran comedian Paula Poundstone loves Ring Dings, her favorite little chocolate snack cakes only sold in a handful of East Coast states. She once told a very skeptical Michael Pollan, on NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! , that they are her reason for living. So host Rachel Belle interviews the pastry chef/owner of The Ring Ding Bar in New York City, a bakery that’s recreated the confection with “real ingredients” in 25 flavors. Paula talks about how she lived on a Greyhound bus in the 80s, when she didn’t have enough money for motels, why you should read the recipe on the marshmallow fluff jar very carefully , and why Dick Van Dyke will most likely never have dinner at Paula’s house again. Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 16, 2025
The Leftovers with Ani DiFranco
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Ani DiFranco, singer/songwriter, activist and feminist icon. Ani started her own record company in 1989, put out her first record in 1990 and just released her 23rd album. But what do her two school-aged children think about her music? She will discuss! Plus she shares her family’s boozy holiday traditions, and reveals what is no longer on her rider. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand-new cookbook Open Sesame & get tickets to an upcoming book event! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 09, 2025
Ani DiFranco: Watermelon Feta Salad
If you listened to the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter in the ’90s, she wants you to know she’s still making music: Ani DiFranco just released her 23rd album! Ani is known for lyrics that explore politics, social justice and feminism, but in real life she is smiley, friendly and down-to-earth – not the “angry feminist” she was often mislabeled as. Ani grew up in Buffalo, New York, where she was tasked with cooking dinner for her family starting at age 9. Today she enjoys cooking for her own family in New Orleans – a soothing ritual that balances the craziness of touring. Ani says she’ll eat anything, so I pulled out a list of America’s most hated foods & quizzed her – listen in to hear what they are! And a social psychologist joins the show to talk about how a country’s culture influences our likes and dislikes. Plus, Ani’s opinion of school lunch and a story about a school district that refuses to dumb down dishes for its young eaters. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand-new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 02, 2025
LIVE Q&A with Rachel Belle on her debut cookbook
Host Rachel Belle celebrated the launch of Open Sesame at Book Larder, Seattle's only dedicated cookbook store. The event sold out, but you can listen in! Rachel is usually the one asking the questions, but on November 13 the tables were turned! She was in conversation with Becky Selengut , a beloved Seattle cookbook author, cooking instructor, podcast host and chef. Rachel tells the magical story of how she was offered a book deal (despite having a small social media presence!), a reminder of the importance of building in-person, real-life professional relationships. She tells Becky what it was like to write a cookbook in only six months, describes how the testing process works, shares her biggest recipe fails & talks about how the word “fart” ended up in Open Sesame . Plus, an audience Q&A! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 26, 2024
The Leftovers with Jonathon Van Ness & Tan France
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Jonathan Van Ness and Tan France, two of the stars of the popular Netflix show Queer Eye. Last week on Your Last Meal , Tan said his love language is cooking for the people he loves. So just imagine the fight that breaks out in this episode when Tan tells JVN he’ll bring him take-out instead of a homecooked meal! Tan and JVN reveal their favorite city to eat in and Jonathan, an avid home farmer, gives us a report on what’s growing in his garden. Listen to last week's episode! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 19, 2024
Jonathan Van Ness & Tan France: Fast Food Feast & a British Roast
Queer Eye Season 9 just dropped on Netflix, and Jonathan Van Ness (beauty expert), Tan France (fashion expert) and the rest of The Fab Five are back to make over folks who have big hearts but need lots of help in the self-care department. This episode is chock full of big energy and big personalities – so much so that host Rachel Belle hardly had to lift a finger as the buddies interviewed, complimented and lovingly roasted each other! British-born-and-raised Tan talks about his first-ever magical visit to Olive Garden and what he thinks of the food in Utah, where he now lives with his husband and children. Rachel asks, “Have you ever eaten pet food?” and JVN and Tan talk about what it’s like going to a restaurant with Antoni Porowski , Queer Eye’s food and wine expert. Get tickets to their Fab Five Live show ! Listen to YLM with Ken Jennings. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 12, 2024
The Leftovers with Al Roker
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Al Roker, longtime weather presenter and co-anchor of NBC’s Today . Al and his chef daughter Courtney Roker Laga just released a cookbook called Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By – Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion . Al tells me about the strangest recipe in the cookbook (hint: It involves fish + breakfast cereal), which of his recipes Henry Winkler is obsessed with & his opinion on leftovers. Also: When is the perfect time to show up for a party? Listen to Al Roker’s full episode of YLM Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 05, 2024
Al Roker: Steakhouse Dinner
Longtime Today show weatherman and anchor, Al Roker, just released a cookbook of family recipes with his chef daughter called Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By ... but it took some convincing. When Courtney Roker Laga asked her dad if he wanted to write a cookbook together, he knew his answer immediately: No thanks! Fifty years into a busy career, Al wrote a couple cookbooks years ago and knows how much work goes into them. But finally, they made a deal: Al would write the headnotes if Courtney develops and tests all the recipes. Al tells host Rachel Belle about a breakfast tradition that started with his dad, that he carried on with his own teenaged son. Several of the cookbook’s breakfast recipes call for American cheese, so Rachel called up a cheese scientist (with a Ph.D. in cheese!) to find out what American cheese actually is, and in the process learns that it wasn’t even invented in America! And Rachel couldn’t resist asking the weatherman what he likes to cook when it’s raining, snowing, sunny and the perfect spring day. Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 28, 2024
The Leftovers with Chuck Palahniuk
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Portland, Oregon, novelist Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club and nearly 20 other books, including his new novel Shock Induction. Chuck tells host Rachel Belle about his family’s favorite processed food gimmicks from the ’70s, who his dream dinner party guests are, and his favorite Portland restaurant. Spoiler: He says the food is terrible (So Chuck!). Plus, learn the creation story of the iconic Thanksgiving side dish, green bean casserole. Listen to Chuck on Your Last Meal ! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 21, 2024
Chuck Palahniuk: Corn Pudding & Potato Pancakes
Chuck Palahniuk is best known for his novel-turned-cult-classic-film Fight Club , but the prolific author has published a book nearly every year for the past two decades. His newest is called Shock Induction. Chuck tells host Rachel Belle about the recipes fans have sent him from prison (and which he’s made!), why he can hardly look at a peach, let alone eat one, and why his mouth waters at the mere thought of a crusty, stale Hostess snack cake. Chuck’s mom was not a great cook, but she was excellent at frosting cakes, specifically the Barbie cakes she made for her children in the 1960s and ’70s. We explore the long history of decorated doll cakes with food scholar KC Hysmith. And, an extreme culinary creature of habit, Chuck reveals the meal he’s eaten three times a day for the past several years! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 14, 2024
The Leftovers with Ken Burns
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Ken Burns, the prolific, award-winning filmmaker who has been making historical documentary films for PBS for more than 40 years. Ken lost his mother when he was just 11 years old, a tragic event that has shaped both his personal life and career; in last week’s episode of Your Last Meal he said his mother’s death is what led him to filmmaking. She also shaped his taste in food. Ken shares his favorite dessert, one his mother made for his birthday when he was a child. Ken shares what it’s like making films with his eldest daughter, Sarah Burns; why he’s not a big fan of Christmas; and his favorite movie theater snack. Ken Burns' latest film, Leonardo Da Vinci , premieres on Cascade PBS in two parts on Monday, November 18 and Tuesday, November 19 at 8:00 pm, and will be available to stream with the Cascade PBS app. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 07, 2024
Ken Burns: Roasted Chicken from The Restaurant at Burdick's
For the past 50 years, Ken Burns has written, directed and produced historical films on a wide variety of topics, from country music and baseball to the Vietnam War and the Brooklyn Bridge. His brand-new film investigates the life of Leonardo da Vinci who, very appropriately for this show, painted The Last Supper! So host Rachel Belle consults an Italian archaeologist about what Jesus and the 12 apostles were actually eating in the famous painting. Over 20 years ago, Burns helped open a restaurant in his small New Hampshire town called The Restaurant at Burdick’s . He claims to be a silent partner, but his name is printed on the brunch, lunch and dinner menus! He'll explain what the Ken Salad is and how it came to be. Many famous dishes are named after real people, from the Caesar salad to eggs Benedict. We explore the stories behind some of the most well-known eponymous foods, like Granny Smith apples and the Cobb salad. Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Get tickets to Food Fight , a culinary game show hosted by Rachel Belle! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 31, 2024
How the 2024 Election was Shaped by Food
Food can play a significant role in a presidential race as candidates attempt to show how relatable they are through the dishes they eat and the restaurants they visit. Not only do Vice President Kamala Harris and presidential hopeful Donald Trump have different politics, they have extremely different tastes in food. In this special election episode of Your Last Meal , award-winning New York Times food reporter Kim Severson says if Harris is elected, she will be the first president with a genuine love and prowess for cooking. Severson elaborates on what a big role cooking has played in the Harris/Walz campaign. American food scholar KC Hysmith joins the show to tell us more about Trump’s tastes, and how big a role McDonald’s has played in both his personal and professional life. Then we’ll go back in time to learn what was served at the very first American elections and rehash some embarrassing moments from years past, when a politician’s public display of eating went terribly wrong. Here's the recipe for the original Election Cake recipe! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle ! Follow along on Instagram ! Get tickets to Food Fight , a culinary game show hosted by Rachel Belle! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 24, 2024
The Leftovers with Tim Heidecker
This week on The Leftovers , never-before-heard audio from Tim Heidecker, one half of the sketch comedy duo Tim & Eric, actor and musician. Eric shares a very controversial opinion about pizza (that host Rachel Belle does not agree with!) and, a big baseball fan, he talks about what he likes to eat at the ballpark. Listen to last week's YLM episode with Tim! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 17, 2024
Tim Heidecker: Aunt Mia's Christmas Dinner
Tim Heidecker , one half of the Tim & E ric comedy duo, is best known for sketch comedy and acting, but he’s also a musician – he just released his eighth album, Slipping Away. One thing Tim isn't? A foodie. He would take a hoagie from Wawa over a fancy meal any day. Tim is from Pennsylvania, which is also the birthplace of Wawa, a convenience store/gas station chain with a cult following. Why? A Wawa-obsessed food writer explains how their hoagies, soft pretzels and iced tea create a sense of belonging. When Tim’s on tour with his band, he spends a lot of time on a tour bus – he tells host Rachel Belle about a solitary eating ritual he looks forward to when he’s out on the road. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts , Spotify or YouTube . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Listen to YLM with Graham Elliot to learn more about scrapple. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 10, 2024
The Leftovers with Tali Edut
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from astrologer Tali Edut, one half of the Astro Twins. Tali and her twin sister are longtime astrologers for Elle magazine, matchmakers on the Amazon Prime show Cosmic Love and best-selling authors. Tali grew up in Michigan but spent a long time living in New York City, so host Rachel Belle challenges her to debate which pizza is better: a Detroit-style pie or a New York slice. And then we launch into a speed round to get to know Tali’s tastes a little bit better. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 03, 2024
Tali Edut: Greek Salad from Cafe Mogador
Tali Edut and her twin sister Ophira are the Astro Twins : longtime astrologers for Elle magazine, matchmakers on the Amazon Prime show Cosmic Love and best-selling authors; their new book is The Astrology Advantage: Use Your Horoscope for Personal and Professional Success . Tali grew up in a multicultural household eating lots of classic Middle Eastern dishes. When she eventually moved to New York City, she found comfort at Cafe Mogador , a Moroccan-Jewish-owned restaurant open since 1983. Host Rachel Belle chats with the second-generation owner of the East Village favorite about what makes their Greek salad so special. And Tali uses star signs, not Michelin stars, to choose the perfect restaurant. When she writes horoscopes, she chooses to work at restaurants that represent each Zodiac sign – listen in to see if your taste matches your horoscope! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, September 25, 2024
The Leftovers with John Early
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from comedian and actor John Early! John grew up eating Southern staples like pimento cheese sandwiches and cheesy grits, but since making his home in Los Angeles, his cooking style is drastically different. He tells host Rachel Belle about his most cliche and stereotypical LA eats. When John was a kid, he was such a big fan of the Australian actor Toni Collette, he ran a fan appreciation website! He tells Rachel what he would cook if Ms. Collette was coming to dinner. Listen to last week's episode of Your Last Meal with John Early! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 19, 2024
John Early: Pasta all'Amatriciana
Growing up in Nashville with two ministers for parents, John Early ’s ( Search Party, John Early: Now More Than Eve r) formative food memories are linked with church, where the sermons were boring but the donuts were plentiful. Plenty of people go out for breakfast after church on Sundays, but not many know that one of America’s most beloved brunch foods descended from the wafers placed on tongues in the Catholic church in medieval Europe. John and host Rachel Belle discuss when it’s OK and when it’s not OK to send a dish back in a restaurant. Then etiquette expert Lizzie Post chimes in with her professional opinion on that and other modern dining dilemmas. John Early is on tour now with his all-new comedy show – click here to get tickets. And here to read his Grub Street Diet, discussed in the episode! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12th, 2024! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 12, 2024
Celebrating 200 Episodes of Your Last Meal!
Your Last Meal is celebrating 200 episodes (er, belatedly – this is technically episode 203!) with a replay of the podcast’s 100th episode – a very special show where host Rachel Belle interviewed three spectacular 100-year-old Seattle women about their careers, favorite food memories and, of course, their fantasy last meals. Many of the last meals shared on the podcast are rooted in nostalgia – a dish someone loved as a child, a celebration meal shared with family, a memorable dinner shared with a partner on vacation. And this episode is no different! Inspired by one of the women’s love for the Swedish meatballs her mother-in-law taught her to cook, Rachel gets in touch with the world’s most famous Swedish meatball makers: IKEA! We’ll learn why a furniture store started slinging meatballs, and where the name IKEA comes from. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Get tickets to Rachel's Open Sesame cookbook launch in Seattle! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 05, 2024
The Leftovers with Tamron Hall & Lish Steiling
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Tamron Hall & Lish Steiling, authors of the new cookbook, A Confident Cook . These buddies met on the set of The Today Show , where Tamron was in front of the camera, and Lish worked behind the scenes as a food stylist for the cooking segments. Close friends, Lish and Tamron have shared many meals and holidays together with their friends, family and chosen family, so host Rachel Belle put together a little quiz to see just how well they know each other! If you missed last week’s Your Last Meal episode with Tamron & Lish, give it a listen ! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Get tickets to Rachel's Open Sesame cookbook launch in Seattle! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 29, 2024
Tamron Hall & Lish Steiling: Cheese Noodles & a Cheeseburger
When Emmy Award-winning journalist and talk show host, Tamron Hall, and James Beard Award and Emmy Award–winning culinary producer, Lish Steiling, became fast friends working at The Today Show, they never would have predicted they'd write a cookbook together. But they just rele ased A Confident Cook , a collection of recipes inspired by Tamron’s and Lish’s backgrounds, plus lots of basic techniques for newbies, like how to properly fry and scramble an egg. Tamron’s dad was the cook in the family, and when he passed, she wanted to learn how to gather friends and family for tasty meals just like he had. With Lish's guidance, she slowly became a confident cook. In this episode, we talk food, friendship, tattoos and noisy parrots! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame ! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 22, 2024
The Leftovers with Aly & AJ
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from musicians Aly and AJ, who landed their first record deal as teenagers in 2005, and are still singing for their suppers! Aly and AJ are bandmates and sisters who give off big BFF energy, and when it comes to food and fashion, they have a lot in common. So host Rachel Belle quizzes them to see just how much they know about each other’s culinary tastes. If you missed last week’s Your Last Meal episode with Aly & AJ, give it a listen. Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame ! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 15, 2024
Aly & AJ: Canadian Sushi & Texas Burritos
Aly and AJ signed their first record deal when they were just 13 and 15 years old, and nearly 20 years later they’re still singing for their supper. Literally! The sisters love to eat and keep a running list of their favorite restaurants at tour destinations around the world. One of their favorite spots in the U.S. is Marfa Burritos, a hole-in-the-wall, family-run Texas burrito joint with a cult following. Columnist and author Gustavo Arellano joins the show to talk about what makes the long, skinny bordertown burritos so special. How many times have you dribbled spaghetti sauce down the front of your previously clean white shirt? Aly, AJ and host Rachel Belle wonder why adults don’t wear bibs! So British food historian Pen Vogler tells us how people used to protect their clothes from stains. Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame ! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 08, 2024
The Leftovers with Thomas Doherty
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from actor Thomas Doherty, who stars in Disney’s Descendants movies, the reboot of Gossip Girl and the new indie romance film Dandelion . Thomas is from Scotland, but moved to the U.S. to pursue acting. When he goes back home to the U.K., his dad always cooks up a big batch of his favorite comfort food: haggis served with neeps and tatties (you can learn all about these dishes on last week’s episode of Your Last Meal !). Eager to learn about other traditional Scottish dishes, host Rachel Belle asks Thomas about classics like cullen skink and cock-a-leekie soup, but ...Thomas is just as stumped as she is! Listen to the hijinks and learn a bit about Scottish cuisine along the way! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 01, 2024
Thomas Doherty: Not Haggis
Scottish actor Thomas Doherty ( Gossip Girl, Descendants, Dandelion ) isn’t hungry in America. But the Brooklyn-based film and TV star says he’s famished in Scotland, where artificial dyes and chemicals are banned from food products . Doherty went to a 900-year-old high school in Scotland, so he loves the fresh energy that a young country like the United States offers. But he’s not a fan of American food, and misses the strict UK food regulations, saying he pretty much lost his appetite since moving to the States. What he does love is haggis. But Scotland’s national dish is outlawed in the U.S.! Scottish food historian Paul Gilchrist joins the show to talk about the ban and tells you everything you’d ever want to know about haggis. Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 25, 2024
What's for Dinner at Burning Man
Every Labor Day weekend since 1990, tens of thousands of people descend upon a Nevada desert to build an elaborate, eccentric, temporary town called Black Rock City. This is the famed Burning Man festival, and once you’re inside the gate, nothing (but ice) is for sale and bartering and trading are forbidden. So how do 70,000 people feed themselves at the Black Rock Desert festival without electricity or running water? Burning Man runs on a gifting economy, and food is a major currency. On this Very Special Episode of Your Last Meal, we’ll explore Burning Man’s culinary camps, where festival attendees set up makeshift restaurants and feed thousands of Burners for free. You’ll meet the creator of Cheese & Advice Palace, who says waiting in line for a grilled cheese sandwich is part of the experience, and the chef behind Domakase, a desert sushi bar. Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Sign up for the free newsletter! Pre-order Rachel Belle's new cookbook, Open Sesame: 45 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Tahini & All Things Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 18, 2024
The Leftovers with J. Ryan Stradal
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from J. Ryan Stradal, the bestselling author of three novels, all set in Minnesota: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club. Through a not-so-rapid-fire speed round, J. Ryan tells host Rachel Belle about his favorite Minnesota State Fair food, what the J. in his name stands for, and why you really need to open that bottle of wine you're forever saving for a special occasion. And we'll explore the history behind a Midwestern fried-food debate: corn dog vs Pronto Pup! What's the difference? Listen and find out! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Pre-order Rachel Belle's new cookbook, Open Sesame: 45 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Tahini & All Things Sesame! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 11, 2024
J. Ryan Stradal: Shakshuka at Barbary Fig
The New York Times bestselling novelist J. Ryan Stradel tells host Rachel Belle it was “totally weird to be a teenage foodie in the 1990s.” He couldn’t wait to get his driver’s license so he could drive into the Twin Cities and eat at restaurants serving mysterious, flavorful, global food — a complete contrast to the bland dishes his parents cooked at home. Food plays a role in all three of Stradal’s novels, all set in his home state of Minnesota: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club — supper clubs being a uniquely Midwestern throwback institution. Rachel chats with the owners of two multigenerational supper clubs, Lehman’s and Ettlin’s Ranchero , about what sets them apart from other restaurants. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 04, 2024
The Leftovers with G. Love
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from G. Love, frontman for G. Love & Special Sauce! The band is celebrating 30 years since releasing their self-titled first album, featuring beloved bangers like Baby’s Got Sauce and Cold Beverage. G. Love tells host Rachel Belle about his big backyard garden, where he grows both edibles and smokables, and shares how he turned his “special sauce” into a tangible product. When it comes to sugary kid’s cereals, you most likely know the mascots and slogans even if you've never taken a single bite. We learn the stories behind mascots like Cap’n Crunch and Tony the Tiger with Tim Hollis, author of “Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era.” Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 27, 2024
G. Love: Confit de Canard
It has been 30 years (!) since G. Love & Special Sauce put out their first album, and in that time G. Love has written a whole lotta food and drink lyrics. He tells host Rachel Belle the origin stories behind songs like Milk & Cereal, Cold Beverage and his album Lemonade. Lemonade has special meaning to G. Love, so Rachel chats with Gastro Obscura editor Anne Ewbank about the history of the sweet, puckery drink, the different ways it's prepared around the world and why American children have taken on the responsibility of selling it! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 20, 2024
The Leftovers with Geraldine DeRuiter
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Geraldine DeRuiter, author of the new book If You Can't Take the Heat & James Beard Award winning writer. Geraldine tells host Rachel Belle about her dream Costco sample, shares her perfect birthday cake and, perhaps the most fun part of the episode, the long string of blooper cuts after the credits run! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 13, 2024
Geraldine DeRuiter: Her Husband's Carbonara
In her latest book, If You Can’t Take the Heat , Geraldine DeRuiter uses food, humor and her own (often ridiculous!) life to explore the topic of feminism. Geraldine has a way of, as she puts it, “going bonkers viral.” Millions of people read her James Beard Award-winning blog post, “ I Made the Pizza Cinnamon Rolls from Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Apology Letter ,” and her essay about a bizarre experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy inspired a front-page New York Times article. Over the course of two interviews ( host Rachel Belle forgot to ask Geraldine a very important question the first time around), Geraldine and Rachel bond over the strange (read: disgusting) things they ate as children and the absolute best way to make and eat popcorn, plus Geraldine shares her last meal, which is almost entirely cooked by her husband. Romans take their carbonara very seriously and insist it be cooked using “traditional” ingredients. But Rome-based culinary guide and cookbook author Katie Parla says modern-day Italian carbonara is not as authentic as passionate locals think it is. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 06, 2024
The Leftovers with Dan Pashman
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Dan Pashman , host of The Sporkful podcast, inventor of the cascatelli pasta shape, and author of the new cookbook Anything’s Pastable . Dan was a guest on Your Last Meal in 2017 , so host Rachel Belle checks in to see if his last meal has changed over the past seven years. Then, a speed round! Dan talks about the biggest challenge of writing a cookbook, his carb-on-carb recipe for pasta pizza, and his dream birthday cake. Order Rachel's favorite tortillas! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 30, 2024
Dan Pashman & his new book "Anything's Pastable"
Award winning The Sporkful podcast host, Dan Pashman, invented a new pasta shape in 2021. Cascatelli was released with great fanfare -- Time magazine declared the pasta one of 2021’s best inventions and it was covered everywhere from The New York Times to Access Hollywood. But when fans started tagging Dan on Instagram, eager to show off their cascatelli creations, he realized everyone was bathing their pasta in the same three sauces! Eager to move beyond marinara and mac & cheese, Dan wrote his first cookbook, Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People. On his recent book tour, Dan popped by host Rachel Belle’s Seattle home studio to talk about the cookbook’s innovative, international recipes; the best place in the house to eat when you don’t want to share food with your children; and why he thinks spaghetti is an inferior pasta shape. Then host Rachel Belle blindfolded Dan and fed him pasta to see how many shapes he could identify by mouthfeel alone! Watch the video here! Dan was on YLM to talk about his last meal back in 2017 -- you can listen here! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 23, 2024
The Leftovers with Kathleen Hanna & Food Not Bombs
This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Kathleen Hanna, frontwoman for the groundbreaking feminist punk bands Bikini Kill and Le Tigre and author of the new memoir Rebel Girl . Last week, on Your Last Meal , Kathleen talked about meals she’s eaten that were so good, they made her cry. Like, really cry. Today she tells us about her major, if accidental, contribution to a Nirvana record, what it means to be punk-rock while living a comfortable adult life and what it was like working at McDonald’s as a teenager. Then host Rachel Belle meets the co-founder of Food Not Bombs, a global movement to end hunger. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram ! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 16, 2024
Kathleen Hanna: A Giant Buffalo Chicken Eggroll
The legendary riot grrrl and punk rock singer for Bikini Kill and Le Tigre has a reputation for crying over a delicious meal. As far as we know, she's shed tears over sushi, birthday cake, and gelato. Why does food make her so emotional? She breaks it down (but doesn’t break down!) for host Rachel Belle. Kathleen , who got her start in the punk scene in Olympia, WA in the early 90s, is best known for being an outspoken feminist and activist; at her early shows she’d speak out about domestic violence and sexual violence between songs. While Kathleen took her rage to the stage, cookbook author and James Beard Award winning journalist Kathy Gunst, released her outrage through flour, sugar, butter, fruit, and chocolate. We talk about her cookbook, Rage Baking: The Transformative Power of Flour, Fury, and Women's Voices. Pick up Kathleen's new memoir Rebel Girl! Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's new Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 09, 2024
The Leftovers with Jesse Tyler Ferguson
Today on The Leftovers , a speed round with Jesse Tyler Ferguson; Modern Family star and Tony Award winning Broadway actor. Jesse reveals his bougiest, most cliche LA indulgence and creates a menu for a hypothetical dinner party with Barbra Streisand. If you missed last week’s full interview with Jesse, listen here! Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode! Watch Rachel's new TV show, The Nosh, on Cascade PBS! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 02, 2024
Jesse Tyler Ferguson: Green Chile Enchiladas
The Modern Family star grew up in New Mexico (the Chile Capital of the World!) where the native green chiles find their way into everything from burgers to mac & cheese. Jesse hasn’t lived in Albuquerque since high school, but he keeps his freezer full of New Mexico green (Hatch) chiles and green chile enchiladas are his forever favorite comfort food. The retired director of the Chile Pepper Institute tells host Rachel Belle about the history and migration of spicy peppers from the Americas to the rest of the world, which involves everything from bird poop to Christopher Columbus. Then Jesse tells us about his lunch with Weird Al at one of the country’s most woo-woo restaurants! Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! Watch Rachel's new TV show, The Nosh, on Cascade PBS! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 25, 2024
The Leftovers with Tom Papa
If waiting two whole weeks for a new episode of Your Last Meal is way too long, we’ve got something to tide you over. On the weeks we’re not releasing a full-length episode of Your Last Meal , we’re airing The Leftovers : audio left on the cutting-room floor, interviews that host Rachel Belle really wants to do that don’t fit into the show’s usual format and, as you’ll hear today, a speed round with last week’s guest. Which means you will now be getting a little taste of Your Last Meal every single Thursday! Today’s episode features a never-before-heard interview with Tom Papa; comedian, writer, and sourdough-obsessed bread baker. If you missed last week’s full interview with Tom, you can listen here. Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode! Watch Rachel's new TV show, The Nosh with Rachel Belle on Cascade PBS! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 18, 2024
Tom Papa: A Steak Dinner
Tom Papa is a bread nerd. The comedian, author and podcast host is quick to point out that he got obsessed with baking sourdough bread long before the pandemic sourdough craze. He loves to talk about sourdough, read about sourdough and, of course, bake and eat sourdough. So host Rachel Belle chats with the owner of a Seattle bakery that uses a sourdough starter that’s more than 150 years old. Pasta with butter and Parmesan may be the meal of choice for picky American children, but in Italy the simple, comforting dish has an entirely different context. Rachel calls Katie Parla , a Rome-based food and beverage writer and cookbook author, to learn more, and in the process learns the history of fettuccine Alfredo. Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's new Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 11, 2024
Best of Julia Sweeney: Nanaimo Bars
By the end of this episode, you'll feel like the charming, hilarious and down-to-earth Julia Sweeney is your best friend! Julia and host Rachel Belle discuss everything from her true love of eating alone (and how that makes her husband feel) to the 60th birthday gift she gave herself: never dieting again. Julia wants to cap her last meal with Canada’s favorite no-bake, layered dessert: the Nanaimo bar! Rachel chats with Joyce Hardcastle, the contest winner who created the city’s official recipe back in 1986, and with the current mayor of Nanaimo, about the history of the bar and how ubiquitous it is in the Vancouver Island city it was named after. *This is a replay of an episode from 2022. Rachel lost her voice & hopes to be back with a brand-new episode next week!* Follow along on Instagram ! Watch Rachel's new Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 04, 2024
The Leftovers: My new TV show, The Nosh with Rachel Belle
Tune in to The Nosh with Rachel Belle on April 5 at 8:50pm PST on Cascade PBS, channel 9 in WA and BC, or catch it anytime from anywhere online at www.cascadepbs.org (just scroll down a tad to the Local Originals) Do delicious bagels actually exist in Seattle? What’s the story behind the city’s first non-alcoholic bottle shop? These are just a couple of the topics Rachel Belle digs into on season one of The Nosh, where stories about the outdoors, art, culture and community are told through the lens of food and drink. On this episode of The Leftovers , Cascade PBS podcast producer and Northwest Reports co-host Maleeha Syed hops into the interview chair to ask Rachel about the show. Rachel spills some behind-the-scenes tea and talks about why hosting her first TV show in her 40s has special meaning. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Follow along on Instagram! Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 28, 2024
Best of: 'Love Is Blind' host Vanessa Lachey
Vanessa Lachey’s first book, Life from Scratch: Family Traditions That Start with You is rooted in a deep and vulnerable place. Vanessa’s mom left when she was a little girl, depriving her of motherly advice, care and the Filipino food she craved. It took decades, but the actor and TV host finally felt empowered to stop mourning what she’d lost, and start creating her own special traditions for her young family – including a chicken adobo recipe her husband, 98 Degrees singer & Love Is Blind co-host Nick Lachey, loves. Vanessa and host Rachel Belle discuss how she secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records (it’s food-related!) and why her family celebrates the holidays with a dish called Wiener-Bun Surprise. Vanessa loves lasagna, so obviously Rachel had to talk about America’s favorite curmudgeonly, lasagna-loving cartoon cat, and she digs into the etymology of the comforting Italian casserole. We’ll also learn about Lasagna Love , a nonprofit started during the pandemic. Rachel’s favorite lasagna recipe ! Follow Rachel on Instagram and sign up for her newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 21, 2024
The Leftovers with Gavin Rossdale
If waiting two whole weeks for a new episode of Your Last Meal to drop is way too long, I’ve got something to tide you over. On the weeks we’re not releasing a full-length episode of Your Last Meal , we’ll be airing a new segment called The Leftovers : audio left on the cutting-room floor, interviews that host Rachel Belle really wants to do that don’t necessarily fit into the show’s usual format and, most often, as you’ll hear today, a speed round with last week’s guest. Which means you will now be getting a little taste of Your Last Meal every single Thursday! Today’s episode features a never-before-heard interview with Gavin Rossdale, singer and guitarist in Bush, one of the most popular grunge bands of the 1990s. If you missed last week’s full interview with Gavin, you can listen here. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify . Follow along on Instagram! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 14, 2024
Gavin Rossdale: An English Breakfast
Gavin Rossdale, frontman for the grunge band Bush (anyone else have his photo on your wall in 1994??), loves to whip up big meals for friends and family in his L.A. home, but it’s nostalgic dishes from his British childhood that make his heart sing. Gavin grew up in England, eating traditional Sunday roast dinners. So host Rachel Belle chats with British food historian Dr. Neil Buttery about Britain’s favorite meal: How do you get the crispiest potatoes? What is Yorkshire pudding? We cover it all! And Gavin reveals which non-edible items you can find in his huge walk-in wine refrigerator. Follow Rachel Belle and YLM on Instagram! ===================================== Here is Dr Buttery's favorite Yorkshire pudding recipe And one of his favorite roast potato recipes Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 29, 2024
Richard Sherman & Kam Chancellor: Chicken & BBQ
What do Super Bowl champions do after they retire from football? If you’re Seahawks legends Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor, you open a restaurant! Host Rachel Belle interviewed Kam and Richard back in October, at the grand opening of Legion Sports Bar , their “elevated soul food” restaurant named after the Legion of Boom, the nickname for the Seahawks’ legendary defense backfield. The guys talk about how they eat now compared to when they played football, and Sherman’s mom, Beverly, tells Rachel there is one food her son won’t eat unless she makes it. Then we check in with the Seahawks Performance Kitchen, where head chef Stuart McNabb and dietitian Andrea Vanderwoude are responsible for strategically feeding the team three meals a day, five days a week. Follow along on Instagram! Sign up for my newsletter! Become a Cascade PBS member! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 15, 2024
Amanda Knox: Sushi & Italian food
Seattle’s Amanda Knox spent four years in an Italian prison for a murder she didn’t commit, while studying abroad in Perugia. Amanda joined host Rachel Belle on stage in Seattle for a live podcast recording where she was invited to share her experience, in her own words, after years of being misrepresented and mocked by the international press. Amanda talks about what prison food was like; why she chose Italian food for her last meal despite her traumatic experience in the country; and how foraging for mushrooms in the Pacific Northwest helped with her recovery. And so much more! Amanda is incredibly thoughtful, smart and funny – it’s truly a fantastic conversation! Follow along on Instagram! Sign up for my newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 01, 2024
Moshe Kasher: Gordo's Bean & Cheese Burrito
As a kid, Moshe Kasher ( Subculture Vulture , The Endless Honeymoon Podcast, Kasher in the Rye: The True Tale of a White Boy From Oakland Who Became a Drug Addict, Criminal, Mental Patient, and Then Turned 16 ) led a double life. Most of the year he lived with his deaf single mother in Oakland, Calif., eating carob chips and other classic hippie foods, and in the summers he stayed with his deaf father, a born-again Hasidic Jew in Brooklyn who ate a strict kosher diet. Moshe loves to rank things. In this episode, he ranks the world’s worst desserts and the best way to drink a Diet Coke. So host Rachel Belle and producer Isaac Kaplan Woolner do a side-by-side taste test, sampling Coke in a glass bottle, a can, a plastic bottle, a fountain soda and from a bar gun before compiling their own rankings. Are Tofutti Cuties Jewish? Do you even know what a Tofutti Cutie is ?? Tablet Magazine’s Esther Werdiger pops by to share the history of the little non-dairy ice cream sandwiches that both Moshe and Rachel grew up eating. Not only is Moshe extremely funny, but he’s super-warm, a generous conversationalist and extremely quick witted – I think you’re gonna like this episode! Follow along on Instagram! Sign up for my newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 18, 2024
Audie Cornish: Anything her husband cooks
Welcome to Your Last Meal’s most romantic episode! Audie Cornish (CNN reporter and host of CNN’s The Assignment podcast) says her last meal is less about what she’s eating and everything about who she’s eating it with. Audie's last meal is a love letter to her husband, who has been wooeing her with his cooking since their first date, and for the first time ever she talks about him in an interview! Audie remembers all the meals her now-husband, Theo Emory , cooked for her when they started dating 20 years ago. Eager to recreate The Newlywed Game , host Rachel Belle calls Theo to see what he remembers making, what he thinks Audie would choose for her last meal, and so much more. And Rachel chats with NPR senior producer, and Audie’s former All Things Considered colleague, Melissa Gray about her cookbook All Cakes Considered. Follow along on Instagram! Sign up for my newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 04, 2024
David Cross: Poutine
Comedian and actor David Cross is best known for his roles as Tobias Fünke on Arrested Development and Mr Show, and he has a new podcast and comedy special out now! David says he grew up poor, hating a lot of the penny-pinching meals his family ate. But he still loves some of the foods he ate as a poor adult, when he was trying to make it as a stand-up comedian. We’ll learn the history of poutine with the owner of the Quebec restaurant that claims to have invented it. And a lifelong Québécois shares his very opinionated poutine hot takes with host Rachel Belle. Get tickets to see David at SFSketchfest January 19 & 20th 2024! Follow along on Instagram! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 21, 2023
Rachel Belle on Desert Island Dishes
Across the pond, in a country far, far away (um, England), Your Last Meal has a podcast cousin! On each episode of Desert Island Dishes , chef and host Margie Nomura asks her guests about the dishes that have shaped their lives, including the last dish they’d eat before being cast off to the desert island. Host Rachel Belle was a guest on the show and this week we are bringing you that episode! After interviewing thousands of people in her career as a broadcast journalist, food and culture writer and podcast host, Rachel takes a break from asking questions and gets to answer some! Rachel tells Margie about the food her family invented and sold in the 1980s, the most memorable dish from her childhood, how she got her start as a journalist and why “anticipation” will always be the most delicious ingredient. Follow along on Instagram! Sign up for my free (or paid!) newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 07, 2023
Reggie Watts: Roast Chicken
Reggie Watts is the best kind of weirdo: a comedian, musician and beat-boxer who spent eight years as the house bandleader for The Late Late Show with James Corden . His new book, Great Falls, Montana, is a coming-of-age memoir that proves Reggie’s been cultivating his own brand of oddball humor since he was a teenager. Reggie grew up with a French mom, eating escargot on special occasions, so we go deep into the fascinating world of heliciculture: snail farming! Only two people in the entire United States raise snails for food, and host Rachel Belle chats with them both. The farmers at Peconic Escargot on Long Island and Little Gray Farms escargots in Washington insist their fresh, thoughtfully raised snails are miles better than the canned stuff served in most restaurants. Plus, Reggie explains what a “lefthanded latte” is and waxes poetic about monkfruit sweetener. Follow along on Instagram! Sign up for my free (or paid!) newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, November 22, 2023
A Thanksgiving Potluck!
Welcome to the very first Your Last Meal Thanksgiving! We’re having a big Friendsgiving audio potluck, inviting past guests to contribute a dish to the holiday meal. Country music star Martina McBride is bringing the salad, actor Zosia Mamet defends marshmallow sweet potato casserole and opines on cranberry sauce, director Greta Gerwig shares her dad’s unusual stuffing recipe and Christopher Kimball is on pie duty. There are also some new friends at the table. Food historian Ken Albala stops by to explain why we eat turkey on Thanksgiving, and comedian and musician Reggie Watts shares what his childhood Thanksgiving table looked like with a French mother. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 09, 2023
On Set with 'Lessons In Chemistry" Food Consultant Courtney McBroom
Lessons in Chemistry , an Apple TV+ show based on the bestselling book of the same name, is set in the early 1950s and centers around a young woman named Elizabeth Zott, played by Brie Larson. Elizabeth is a chemist and her entire life is consumed by her scientific curiosities. The only thing Elizabeth loves as much as chemistry is cooking because, well, cooking is chemistry! The show features quite a bit of food, conceptualized, cooked and styled by the show’s food consultant, Courtney McBroom — chef, cookbook author and former culinary director at Milk Bar in New York City. Host Rachel Belle sat down with Courtney to talk about a day–in–the life of her super-cool job on set; how many lasagnas she had to make for the show; and, of course, her last meal. Get the recipes for dishes featured in the show! Follow along on Instagram ! Subscribe to my newsletter ! Get tickets to my Nov 14, 2023 Seattle LIVE show featuring special guest Amanda Knox! Paid newsletter subscribers & KCTS 9 members get a discount and are invited to a pre-show hang with complimentary food and cocktails! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 26, 2023
Andrew Rea (Babish): An Italian-American Feast
Andrew Rea is best known for his super-popular YouTube channel, Babish Culinary Universe, where 10 million subscribers tune in to watch him host cooking shows like Binging with Babish , where he recreates dishes from TV shows and movies. The focus of his new (third!) cookbook, Basics with Babish , is cooking mistakes. He cheekily reveals every single mistake he’s made while attempting to cook each recipe, and gives readers advice on how to avoid them. Lots of iconic food and drink, from potato chips to champagne, were allegedly created by mistake. In this episode we focus on the chimichanga , accidentally created in the 1950s at El Charro in Tucson, Arizona. Is there a food you love so much you’d get it tattooed on your body? Andrew has a tattoo of one of the only foods he hates! He’ll tell his story, and then YLM listeners call in to share their tasty tattoo tales with host Rachel Belle. Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to my newsletter ! Get tickets to my Nov 14, 2023 Seattle LIVE show featuring special guest Amanda Knox! Paid subscribers & KCTS 9 members get a discount and are invited to a pre-show hang with complimentary food and cocktails! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 12, 2023
Sarah Cooper: Mom's Liver, Johnny Cakes & Callaloo
Comedian and writer Sarah Cooper rose to fame in the most modern of ways: through TikTok! Her viral videos, lip-syncing Donald Trump’s speeches during the pandemic, eventually landed her a Netflix show ( Sarah Cooper: Everything Is Fine ), and she just released a memoir called Foolish . Before Sarah could pay the bills with comedy, she worked at Google, where employees are fed three incredibly delicious (free!) meals a day. Host Rachel Belle scored a rare, coveted interview with the director of Google’s food program, and we’ll take you behind the scenes of their 400 worldwide cafes. Sarah is a Jamaican ... who doesn’t like Jamaican food! But what she does love is Girl Dinner, a viral TikTok trend that assigned a name to something we’ve all done: creating a casual meal-for-one out of the tastiest bits and bobs you can find in your fridge. Meet the creator of Girl Dinner and the writer who wrote about it in The New York Times. Get tickets to the YLM November 14, 2023 Seattle LIVE show , with special guest Amanda Knox! Follow along on Instagram! Subscribe to my newsletter! Check out Didn’t I Just Feed You, a top-charting weekly podcast about feeding our families, hosted by Stacie Billis and Meghan Splawn, who, between them, have over 20 years experience as food editors, recipe developers, and cookbooks authors/producers — but who, above all, know what it’s like to feed a family as busy, working moms. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 28, 2023
Comedian Zarna Garg: Masala Chai
Zarna Garg immigrated to the United States from India alone, at 16, without a penny to her name. Fast-forward to 2018: She’s a stay-at-home mom with three kids and bored out of her mind. At her children’s insistence, Zarna got on stage at an open-mic night. Five years later? She has her own comedy special on Amazon, “Zarna Garg: One in a Billion!” Zarna loves to top many of her meals with a big ol' pile of raw onions, but laments that Americans are sensitive to onion breath. I chat with a cognitive scientist who researched whether smell preference is cultural, personal taste or universally disliked among humans because of its chemical compounds. And we’ll learn the fairly modern history of masala chai with Indian-American food writer Leena Trivedi-Granier (click for her recipe) – just don’t call it chai tea ! We’ll tell you why. Follow along on Instagram! Subscribe to my newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 14, 2023
Ron & Don: Cherry Pie & A Tasting Menu
Ron Upshaw and Don O’Neill are longtime radio partners who spent decades moving around the country together, hosting all kinds of big-market radio shows. And YLM host Rachel Belle was a part of The Ron & Don Show on KIRO Radio for a decade! Ron and Don have worked together since they were teenagers, in all sorts of professions. What keeps two people working together for 40 years? We will discuss! Don adores cherry pie, so I chat with a 25-year-old entrepreneur from Traverse City, Michigan, who is trying to reclaim his hometown’s lost Guinness World Record by making the world’s largest cherry pie. And could you make it through a 50-course dinner? We’ll talk about the pros and cons of fancy tasting menus with food writer Charmaine Mok Listen to my other cherry pie episode featuring actor/comedian Jenny Slate & Warrant guitarist Joey Allen (who played on Cherry Pie! ) Follow along on Instagram! Subscribe to my newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 31, 2023
Iron & Wine's Sam Beam: Stack of Tomato Sandwiches
If you've ever had a tomato sandwich, then you know this is the best time of the year! In honor of *tomato season* (and host Rachel Belle being on vacation) we are re-airing this episode from 2019. Iron & Wine sounds like a band but in fact there is just one man behind the music: a soft spoken, North Carolina singer-songwriter named Sam Beam, who unintentionally stumbled into a music career later in life. A true Southern boy, Sam wants a stack of tomato sandwiches for his last meal. Just ripe summer heirlooms, squishy white bread and mayonnaise. A simple summer snack so sacred in North Carolina, locals get riled up at the mere mention of adding bacon or lettuce. We called upon a couple North Carolina culinary queens to talk about the do's and dont's of the tomato sandwich: veteran food journalist Kathleen Purvis and chef, restaurateur and cookbook author, Vivian Howard . And sticking with the Southern theme, food historian Robert Moss joins the show to tell the true history of the boiled peanut. Lucky for us, tomatoes are still hanging heavy on the vines, because you'll be hankering for a tomato sandwich by the end of this episode. Make sure you're subscribed to the podcast and follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's newsletter! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 17, 2023
Heather McMahan: Steak House Side Dishes
After years of living in New York City and Los Angeles, the pandemic brought comedian Heather McMahan back to her hometown of Atlanta, where she’s living in her childhood home with her husband and ... her mother! If it sounds like a sitcom, well, she’s working on that script right now. Atlanta is home to Buford Highway, an off-the-beaten-path culinary wonderland featuring 100 immigrant-owned restaurants, representing more than 20 countries. Atlanta-based Food & Wine senior writer Jennifer Zyman joins the show to share the history and highlights of Buford Highway, like Plaza Fiesta, a huge Mexican marketplace where you can taste the latest Mexican TikTok trends. And Heather and I chat about her huge, elaborate, Italian wedding cake and the tradition of assembling it in front of guests at the reception. Follow along on Instagram Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 03, 2023
Pati Jinich: Milanesa de Pollo and Mashed Potatoes
Mexico City native Pati Jinich made an unusual career change: from a political analyst at a Washington, D.C. think tank to a cooking teacher and, eventually, award-winning PBS host. For over a decade, she’s been sharing her love of Mexico and Mexican cooking with the masses through her shows Pati's Mexican Table and La Frontera. Pati is Mexican-Jewish, and grew up eating Mexican takes on classic Ashkenazi Jewish dishes. So after speaking with Jinich, host Rachel Belle also interviews the authors of the new book Kugels and Collards about another lesser-known mashup: Jewish South Carolina cooking! And in taco news: After 35 years, the phrase Taco Tuesday is finally free from a federal trademark! Rachel digs into the whole story. Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscribe www.yourlastmealpodcast.com Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 27, 2023
'Barbie' director Greta Gerwig: Funfetti Cake
I interviewed Greta Gerwig back in 2017, when her film Lady Bird came out, and in honor of Barbie-mania, I am re-airing an edited version of my interview with the writer and director of the new 'Barbie' movie! Greta is a huge fan of Funfetti cake and insists the box of Pillsbury cake mix is best. So I invite Food Network host Molly Yeh ( Girl Meets Farm ) to talk about her homemade Funfetti, a cake that took a lot of trial and error, including testing with nine different types of sprinkles! Follow along on Instagram! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 20, 2023
Peppermint: Rock Lobster!
Peppermint was the first out, trans contestant on RuPaul’s Drag Race, the first trans woman to originate a principal role on Broadway and she stars in the new Netflix series “Survival of the Thickest!” And Peppermint … loves peppermint! Tea! Candy! All of it! So host Rachel Belle digs into the history of the ancient, zesty herb that has been mentioned everywhere from the bible, in Greek mythology and, far more recently, on your toothpaste tube. Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 06, 2023
Bear Grylls: Red Meat, Butter & Cocktails
Bear Grylls is a survivalist, adventurist & host of soooo mannny TV shows, including the wildly popular Man VS Wild, Born Survivor and the new season of Running Wild With Bear Grylls: The Challenge , where celebs like Russell Brand and Bradley Cooper tag along on his extremely wild adventures. Bear tells host Rachel Belle about the nastiest foods he's eaten in the wild, why he no longer eats vegetables & what happened when he offered the president of Ukraine a bite of his chocolate bar. And we venture into territory we never imagined venturing into: drinking your own pee! Plus, if if you watch all the survivalist shows and dream of being dropped in the middle of no where with nothing but the clothes on your back – you can pay to have that experience! I chat with Cat Bigney, hunter gatherer instructor and ancestral skills specialist at the Boulder Outdoor Survival School. Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 22, 2023
Tegan and Sara: McDonald's + Tuna Sashimi
Canadian twin sisters and band mates, Tegan and Sara , have been touring the world, playing music together, since they graduated from high school in 1998. In honor of their new book, a semi-autobiographical graphic novel called Junior High , host Rachel Belle asks them, and the listeners, about their most memorable middle school foods and HOLY GUACAMOLE we were human garbage cans when we were 12! Plus, the history of the chicken nugget and why raccoons wash their food! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 08, 2023
Marc Summers LIVE! : Thin Crust Pizza & Junior's Cheesecake
You may know Marc Summers as the host of Nickelodeon's Double Dare and Food Network's Unwrapped , but you may not know that he got his start as a magician and helped launch Guy Fieri's career! Marc joined host Rachel Belle on stage at Seattle's Crosscut Ideas Festival to talk about what the iconic Double Dare slime was made of, how he almost gave up show business to sell salmon, and why he decided to go public about his OCD in the late 90s. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 25, 2023
Bill Nye: French Baguette
It's Bill Nye the Science Guy! Nye has spent decades using his special brand of high energy humor to educate folks about science, so obviously he can get real nerdy when it comes to the science of baking bread. Nye shares his precise recipe for the perfect baguette and then gets into a mini debate about cannibalism with host Rachel Belle (any guesses who is for and who is against??). Then Janine Marsh, editor of The Good Life France , and Steven Kaplan, world renowned expert on French bread, join the show to talk about how important the baguette is to the French, but also why French folks are eating and baking far less bread than ever before. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 11, 2023
Pod Swap: FOOD with Mark Bittman + David Sedaris
It's a pod swap! This week I'm bringing you an episode of Food with Mark Bittman and Mark is sharing an episode of Your Last Meal with his listeners. Mark Bittman is the prolific author of 30 cookbooks, he wrote about food for the New York Times for 30 years and he was once a guest on Your Last Meal! This week you'll hear his conversation with another prolific writer, one of America's favorite humor essayists, David Sedaris. Davis tells Mark about his Jello habit, what his dad used to wear (or, rather, didn't wear) to the family dinner table, and much more. Mark's podcast is delightful and I'm excited for you to have a listen! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 27, 2023
Taylor Dayne: A Big Brunch
Taylor Dayne blasted onto the pop/dance scene in 1987 with her first big single, “Tell It To My Heart,” and over the last 35 years she's released seventeen Top 20 singles, earned three grammy nominations and an American Music Award. This Long Island girl loves her brunch, a meal that makes her nostalgic for the bagel and lox she shared with her family, as a kid, on Sunday mornings. Did you know brunch has feminist roots? We explore that history + host Rachel Belle interviews the co-owner of one of her favorite places on Earth: Russ & Daughters , a 110 year old appetizing shop in NYC’s lower east side, famous for selling classic Jewish brunch items like bagels, lox and whitefish salad. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 13, 2023
Rachel Bloom: New York Pizza + Pasta + Three Desserts
Business doesn’t always mix with pleasure, but for comedic actor and writer Rachel Bloom ( Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Reboot), Olive Garden left a big, saucy mark on both her personal and professional life, popping up on her award-winning TV show Crazy Ex-Girlfriend and in her last meal! Host Rachel Belle calls up Marilyn Hagerty, a 96 year old newspaper columnist, to talk about the viral Olive Garden review she wrote for the Grand Forks Herald. A review that earned her a book deal with Anthony Bourdain! And Rachel Bloom shares which Hollywood award shows have the best/worst food & her appreciation for public school home ec! Get tickets to her live show, Death, Let Me Do My Special. Get tickets to a LIVE taping of YLM podcast at Crosscut Festival May 5, 2023! Listeners get 50% off VIP Tickets (the taping is a VIP event) with the code FOOD at checkout! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 30, 2023
Margaret Cho: Spam Musubi
Margaret Cho has been a standup comedian for four decades (since she was 14 years old!) but she also LOVES to cook and collects specialty cookware and gadgets – she has her very own mochi machine! Her last meal takes us to Hawaii, where Spam is so popular it’s even served at McDonald’s. But here on the mainland, Spam is often stigmatized. Robert Koo, author of Dubious Gastronomy: The Cultural Politics of Eating Asian in the USA, walks us through the complicated history of the world’s favorite canned ham. True food fanatics appreciate the highs and the lows; they can equally enjoy caviar and Cap’n Crunch, and Margaret is no different. Margaret shares her strangest cravings, and listeners call in to talk about theirs. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Thanks to our sponsors: Ooni Pizza Ovens Safe Catch & Pure Cravings Get 15% off at checkout with code YOURLASTMEAL Boll & Branch Get 15% off with code LASTMEAL Copper River Salmon & Sena Sea Get 10% off at checkout with code YOURLASTMEAL Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 16, 2023
Salt & Straw Founders Kim & Tyler Malek: Swedish Pancakes & Dumplings in Sauerkraut
Cousins Kim and Tyler Malek opened Salt & Straw Ice Cream over a decade ago in Portland, Oregon, and from the very start they were scooping up unusual flavor combinations like pear & blue cheese and bone marrow with bourbon smoked cherries. Tyler shares the WORST flavor he's ever made (hint: there was seafood involved) & they talk about Grandma Malek, the matriarch behind both of their last meals. Food historian Sarah Lohman joins the show to talk about the history of ice cream (Black Americans played a huge role) and we'll learn about Staten Island's delightful Enoteca Maria , a restaurant staffed by a rotating crew of grandmothers who cook up dishes from their native countries. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 02, 2023
Tucker Shaw: Pantry Pasta
Every home cook worth their can of anchovies can throw together a dish based on the bits and bobs knocking around their cupboards and crisper, and for writer Tucker Shaw, his pantry pasta is last meal worthy. Tucker’s debut novel, “When You Call My Name, ” follows two, gay teenage boys who are navigating the AIDS crisis in 1990 New York City. But host Rachel Belle became a fan of Tucker’s in 2005, when she was gifted his book “Everything I Ate: A Year In The Life of My Mouth,” a book of photographs documenting every single thing Tucker ate in a year. Two archeologists join the show to share the discoveries they’ve made about how early humans ate, including some 70,000 year old burnt bread crumbs that debunk the Paleo diet! And Tucker loves cereal, so we explore the stories behind some of the most iconic cereal mascots (Tony the Tiger! Cap’n Crunch!) with Tim Hollis, author of “Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era.” Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to Rachel's free newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 16, 2023
Sloane Crosley: Favorite Adult Foods + Favorite Childhood Foods
A New York Times best-selling author of several humorous essay collections and novels, including her latest, Cult Classic , it’s no wonder Sloane Crosley’s last meal doubles as a culinary memoir. Sloane’s last meal is a collection of her current favorite foods and their childhood equivalents: the fancy bok choy and watercress salad from a New York City Japanese restaurant contrasted with the Wishbone Italian dressing of her youth. Host Rachel Belle interviewed a dozen kids to get their take on Kids’ Food VS Grown-Up’s Food. And we meet the coolest lunch lady in America: Chef Emme Collins , Food Network Chopped champion and district chef for Seattle Public Schools. Plus, Sloane spontaneously opens up her freezer to reveal its shocking contents! So Rachel digs into the oh-so-American phenomenon of households with multiple refrigerators and freezers. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Subscribe to the newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 02, 2023
Toad the Wet Sprocket’s Glen Phillips: Kitchari
Glen Phillips recently released his first solo album in 6 years; a collection of love songs to counter his last album, written following a divorce. Glen and host Rachel Belle talk about what foods he’s drawn to when he’s sad and what he tends to eat when he’s happy. Glen grew up on his mom’s microwave cooking, so we’ll learn the connection between microwaves and feminism and why acclaimed food writer Barbara Kafka wrote (and was mocked for writing!) The Microwave Gourmet cookbook. Glen’s last meal is a food Indians have been eating for thousands of years. Ayurvedic chef/owner of New York City’s Divya’s Kitchen joins the show to tell us more about kitchari. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 19, 2023
Cheech Marin: Chicken Marbella
It's Cheech & Chong's 50th anniversary! The epic comedy duo is best known for their cinematic pot smoking antics, but Cheech's palate is far more sophisticated than stoner snacks. The enthusiastic cook first tasted chicken marbella, from the legendary Silver Palate cookbook, at a dinner party and he swore he heard angels singing. The Silver Palate cookbook "changed the way Americans ate" when it came out in 1982, and host Rachel Belle chats with its editor, Suzanne Rafer about the impact it had. And chef, cannabis cookbook author, and founder of Laurie + Mary Jane edibles, Laurie Wolf, joins the show to talk about how far we've come from the ubiquitous potent pot brownie. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show by becoming a paid subscriber! Get tickets to the SF Sketchfest Tribute to Cheech & Chong: 50th Anniversary Celebration on January 31, 2023. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 05, 2023
Duff Goldman: Mom’s Passover Dinner
Duff is famous for baking and building thousands of big, bonkers cakes, like the giant R2-D2 robot cake he baked for Star Wars director George Lucas and a lifelike elephant cake that stood taller than him. So you know the Food Network star, and longtime owner of Baltimore’s Charm City Cakes, baked his own wedding cakes. Cakes! Plural! Including a four-tiered meat cake topped with hot dog bride and groom. We’ll learn the fascinating history of the wedding cake with Claire Stewart, author of As Long As We Both Shall Eat: A History of Wedding Food and Feasts. Duff grew up in a town that shares its name with a very popular food. We’ll explore some of the country's most ridiculous (and tasty!) town names and, of course, reveal the name of Duff’s hometown! Pick up Duff’s new cookbook, Super Good Cookies For Kids ! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to my newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mon, December 19, 2022
Top Chef Canada's Eden Grinshpan: New York Pizza
My first exposure to Eden Grinshpan was a photo on Instagram: she was extremely pregnant and her bare, bulging belly was wall-papered with huge slices of pizza. I instantly wanted to be her friend. Eden is host of Top Chef Canada and author of the cookbook Eating Out Loud , where she shows off her contemporary middle eastern cooking chops with dishes like tahini Caesar salad and Sesame Schnitzel Sandwich with Harissa Honey and Tarter Slaw. Eden is tahini obsessed, so I chat with the CEO and co-founder of Soom Foods (makers of delicious tahini) about the history of the ancient condiment and what to do with the half empty jar in your fridge after using it to make hummus. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, December 02, 2022
Yuna: Tom Yum
Yuna is an internationally acclaimed R&B pop star, born and raised in Malaysia. But after a decade of living in LA, and missing her mother’s homemade nasi lemak and banana leaf rice, she and her husband finally succumbed to learning to cook the Malaysian dishes they miss most! Award-winning London chef and cookbook author Mandy Yi says it’s common to eat six meals a day in Malaysia, and walks us through a day of meals, snacks, street food and night markets. Yuna talks about what it was like trying to get a record deal, as a Muslim woman who wears a hijab, and she shares a hilarious story about how a late night snack attack nearly got her into deep trouble with the Canadian government. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 24, 2022
The Menu's Aimee Carrero: Truffle Pasta + Chocolate Chip Cookie
Surprise! It's a Thanksgiving treat: a bonus episode featuring actor Aimee Carrero , who stars in the new culinary thriller (yes, I invented a new film genre, no big whoop) The Menu, in theaters now. The Menu is about twelve wealthy food snobs who travel to a secluded island for an exclusive dining experience prepared by a revered chef. But the dinner...doesn't go as planned. Aimee elaborates on her own, personal dinner party disaster, talks about what it was like waiting on Larry King when she worked at a restaurant, and shares her family's Puerto Rican and Dominican holiday traditions! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 17, 2022
Half Baked Harvest's Tieghan Gerard: Dad's Pasta Bake
If you're one of Tieghan Gerard's 6.6 million social media followers, or you've drooled over the come-hither food photos in one of her Half Baked Harvest cookbooks, chances are you're familiar with her cozy, comforting (read: so much melted cheeeeeeese!) recipes. But how much do you know about the woman behind the camera? Tieghan pulls back the curtain on what a day-in-the-life of a full-time recipe content creator looks like. And if you still don't believe that being a social media influencer is a real job, Tieghan will put you in your place! If we're talking about groundbreaking culinary content creators in 2022, we'd be remiss not to talk about Justine Doiron, known as Justine Snacks online. Justine started the viral butter board trend, both beloved and reviled by millions! Why did bread and butter make people so mad? We discuss! What's the strategy behind creating a viral video? We discuss! How was she able to quit her job within months of starting a TikTok page? We...you know what we're going to do. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 03, 2022
Zosia Mamet: Bolognese + Chocolate Cake
We absolutely adore actor Zosia Mamet in Girls and The Flight Attendant and now she's dipped her toe into our favorite world: food! She just released her first book, My First Popsicle: An Anthology of Food and Feelings , a collection of food-centered essays written by folks like Katie Holmes, Ted Danson, David Sedaris and Rosie Perez. In the book, Zosia writes about her favorite holiday meal, which includes a couple of hot button, controversial American dishes: sweet potato marshmallow casserole and canned, jellied cranberry sauce. Zosia and host Rachel Belle opine on these holiday classics, and then Rick Rogers , author of Thanksgiving 101 , joins the show to share the history of the sweet potato marshmallow casserole, and the folks at Ocean Spray pop in to talk about the origins of canned cranberries. Do you snack snack snack your little butt off every time you fly? Zosia always packs a carry-on full of food, and insists there must be science behind her airplane hunger. Turns out, there is! We will discuss with Katie Sehl , writer for En Route , Air Canda's In-Flight magazine. Follow along on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 20, 2022
Jewel: Bear Lard Biscuits
Jewel has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide and this year she released Freewheelin' Woman , her first album in seven years! But fame and fortune is a stark contrast to the way she grew up in the wilds of Alaska. Jewel tells host Rachel Belle how her family gathered food, growing up on a remote Alaskan homestead without plumbing, electricity or a grocery store, and what it was like trying processed food for the first time after she moved out of her family's home. Then Clay Newcomb, host of Bear Grease podcast , joins the show to talk about cooking with bear meat and bear fat, an ingredient that was once a huge part of American tradition. Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 06, 2022
Best-Of Phil Rosenthal: Hot Dogs
Phil Rosenthal is the creator, co-producer and writer of Everybody Loves Raymond (yo, that show got 69 Emmy nominations!) but now his passion is introducing Americans to fantastic foreign food destinations as the host of his Netflix show, Somebody Feed Phil (and a new book coming out October 18th!). Phil enthusiastically eats al pastor in Mexico City and pastéis de nata in Lisbon, but his last meal would be a collage of classic American childhood favorites, including the humble hot dog. We head to Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs in Coney Island, home of the annual 4th of July Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, to learn the history of both. Next stop: Copenhagen, where hot dog carts have been a street food staple since 1920. Host Rachel Belle consults with Danish food and wine journalist Rasmus Palsgard about traditional Copenhagen hot dog toppings and is surprised to learn what drink is commonly paired with a street dog. Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 22, 2022
Jack Johnson: Sauteed Vegetables in 1997
Jack Johnson just released his 8th studio album, Meet The Moonlight, but after twenty years of touring the world, his values remain the same. A lifelong surfer, and Hawaiian, Jack is an environmentalist focused on keeping plastics out of our oceans. He tells host Rachel Belle the lengths he goes to to reduce waste and support local farms when he's out on tour. Zero Waste Chef , Anne Marie Bonneau, joins the show to share her tips for a zero-waste home kitchen. Have you even dehydrated fruit in your car, bro? And Jack has been married to his wife, Kim, for nearly 29 years and his last meal, and the story behind his song Banana Pancakes is a sweet little slice of their love story. Follow along on Instagram ! Listen to our episode with another lovely Hawaiian musician, ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 08, 2022
LIVE show! Ian Moore & Jon Heder: Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio & Korean Short Ribs
A couple weeks ago, Rachel Belle hosted a LIVE Your Last Meal show at THING , an arts + music festival in historic Port Townsend, Washington. Her first guest is blues rock musician Ian Moore , who's put out 11 full length albums, and toured with folks like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan and ZZ Top over the span of his 30 year career. Ian's from Austin, Texas and, living in the Pacific Northwest, he desperately misses Tex-Mex food, something Rachel can relate to as a burrito obsessed, native northern Californian who still hasn't found one she loves in Seattle. Up next, Jon Heder , best known for his starring role in Napoleon Dynamite ! The film is famous for its references to tots and mispronounced quesadillas and a llama named Tina who refuses to eat her food. Jon regales us with tasty behind-the-scenes stories and shares his experiences with eating competitions while living in Japan. Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 25, 2022
Rick Astley: Raw Prawns & Crisp White Wine
At 21 years old, a baby faced and baritone Brit named Rick Astley released his first single, and "Never Gonna Give You Up" was an instant #1 hit in 25 countries. In 2021, the song surpassed a billion streams thanks to Rickrolling , a viral Internet prank. On this episode of "Your Last Meal," we propose a theory: Rickrolling is the culinary equivalent of molecular gastronomy! You think you're getting one thing and POOF! you get something completely different. Culinary technologist and modernist cooking enthusiast Scott Heimendinger joins the show to exhibit how he uses molecular gastronomy to create culinary humor. Plus, Rick shares his favorite European road snacks (he loves to drive)! Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 11, 2022
Shabazz Palaces' Ishmael Butler: Slow Roasted Chicken Dinner
There must have been a magical elixir flowing from the drinking fountains at Seattle's Garfield High School. Alumni include Jimi Hendrix, Quincy Jones, Macklemore and our very special guest Ishmael Butler , rapper and founding member of Shabazz Palaces and Grammy Award winning hip-hop group Digable Planets. Host Rachel Belle first met Ish eight years ago, when she interviewed him at his house for a column called Show Us Your Fridge . So, it felt right to indulge in another round of culinary voyeurism and take a peek into the healthy home cook's refrigerator. Ish and Rachel discuss the Shabazz Palace song Chocolate Soufflé , so Seattle pastry chef Brittany Bardeleben joins the show to walk us through how to make the fussy French dessert, and opines on why you rarely see it on menus these days. Follow along on Instagram! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 21, 2022
Sona Movsesian: In-N-Out Burger
Sona Movsesian has been Conan O'Brien's assistant for 13 years, and podcast co-host for five, but their relationship feels more like brother and sister. Sona loves snacks, and Conan loves to manically knock them out of her hands. Sona likes to watch TV at her desk, and Conan likes to tell the world what an awful assistant she is. And her new book, The World's Worst Assistant , is an up close and personal look at just this sort of high jinks. A card carrying, native Californian, it is Sona's birthright to love In-N-Out Burger -- and she does! So professional hamburger expert, George Motz , joins the show to do a deep dive on the iconic hamburger chain. Why isn't there an In-N-Out in your town? What does it mean to order your fries Animal Style? Why do the employees smile so much? George tells all! Sona loves chocolate. She eats it every day. And if she doesn't? She gets a headache. Neuroscientist Dr Nicole Avena is an expert on this topic and tells host Rachel Belle why humans are born to be addicted to sugar. Follow along on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens , the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life visit: www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 07, 2022
Hannah Berner: Nana's Eggplant Parmesan
In this spirited interview with host Rachel Belle , comedian Hannah Berner realizes her true calling: talking excitedly about how much she loves to eat! And she has what many of us dream of, a spunky Italian grandmother who cooks up a big pot of sauce every Sunday, has a pantry full of pasta, and feeds her family plate after plate of Italian-American food until they're unbuttoning their pants at the table. Nana Vera joins the show to tell us how she makes her famous eggplant parmesan, and shares an old Italian wives' tale about why it's always important to salt your eggplant before cooking. Hannah went to college in Wisconsin, where it's perfectly normal for a Bloody Mary to hit the table garnished with a fragrant bouquet of hamburgers, corn dogs and egg rolls. Rachel chats with the owner of Milwaukee's Sobelman's Pub and Grill , who believes he was the one who started this deliciously gimmicky national trend. Follow along on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens , the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life visit: www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 16, 2022
John Rzeznik (Goo Goo Dolls): Sweet Lady Jane Apple Pie
When John Rzeznik is on tour, he only requests one thing: a plain, grilled chicken breast. But, to his frustration and amusement, chefs can't resist zhuzhing up the bird with their own brand of pizzazz. He shares his long, arduous chicken-y journey with host Rachel Belle, including the story of a celebrity chef who tried to come to his rescue. John wants to cap off his last meal with a deep dish apple pie from Sweet Lady Jane , a Los Angeles institution frequented by folks like Barbra Streisand and the Kardashians, so Rachel calls them up to find out what makes the pie so special. And while we're on the subject of pie, John has plenty to say about pizza -- his favorite pizzerias just so happen to be two of the oldest in the United States. Host Rachel Belle chats with the owner of NYC's Lombardi's , America's first pizzeria. Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 02, 2022
Lola Kirke: Ben & Jerry's Phish Food & Fernet
Lola Kirke isn't particularly interested in modern day restraint and Instagram wellness trends. She stays up late, likes to drink, eats whatever she wants and just released a Jane Fonda era workout video as a companion to her new album, Lady For Sale. Lola loves Phish Food, a Ben & Jerry's collab with the jam band Phish, that just-so-happens to be celebrating its 25th anniversary! Host Rachel Belle chats with the iconic ice cream company, and Phish's long-time manager, about the history of the flavor and why it's the only product Phish has ever put its name on. Do you drink Fernet? If so, you're either a bartender or you impressed your bartender by ordering it. Rachel interviews a San Francisco bartender, whose bar sells more Fernet than anywhere else in the country, to learn more about the history of the drink they call the "bartender's handshake." Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 19, 2022
Taylor Hanson: Caprese with Perfect Tomatoes & Burrata
Taylor Hanson is the middle brother in Hanson , the band he's been performing in with his brothers Isaac and Zac since he was nine years old. So it's not surprising that this Oklahoma boy had a palate changing culinary epiphany while touring in Europe when he was 15. That epiphany revolved around a perfectly ripe, locally grown tomato, and anyone who's ever picked a pink, mealy tomato slice off their burger knows that commercially grown tomatoes leave much to be desired. Host Rachel Belle chats with Dr. Harry Klee, a horticulture professor who has worked for nearly three decades to develop a flavorful, affordable grocery store tomato. And he answers the question: why are supermarket tomatoes so bad?? And the Oklahoma Historical Society joins the show to share the story behind Oklahoma's official state meal. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens , the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life visit: www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 05, 2022
Dan Harris: Butter & Truffle Fettuccini + Warm Sugar Cookies
Dan Harris is Type A, self-help skeptical and looks the part of a TV anchorman. But he recently quit his 20 year career at ABC News to fully embrace his side hustle: convincing Americans to meditate. Dan wrote a memoir, 10% Happier , about his unlikely journey to mindfulness, that has since expanded into a podcast and meditation app. Dan loves sweets, specifically cookies, and even more specifically, warm cookies delivered by Insomnia Cookies . Host Rachel Belle speaks with Insomnia's founder and CEO, who started the company nearly 20 years ago when he was a 20 year old living in a college dorm room. And we'll do some cookie detective work: what's going on when a batch of cookies spread in the oven or come out dry and cakey? Cookbook author and host of Zoe Bakes , Zoë François , joins the show to troubleshoot the most common cookie baking mistakes and shares how she became a professional baker after growing up in communes and cults that forbade sugar. Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 21, 2022
Remi Wolf: Korean BBQ + Banchan
When soul/funk/pop artist Remi Wolf hopped on Zoom to chat with host Rachel Belle , she was getting ready to leave for a tour that would take her away from her LA home through October. So she was trying to eat every last remaining scrap of food in her fridge and pantry. Stars, they're just like us! Remi talks about her love of concocting meals from the wee bits and bobs hanging around her refrigerator and her disregard for planning or using recipes. Before she was a professional singer, Remi was a junior Olympics skier and she developed some...interesting eating habits on the slopes. One snack was strange enough that Rachel reached out to the FDA to confirm/deny its safety. And Irene Yoo, the Korean American chef and creator of Yooeating , joins the show to talk about banchan, arguably the best part of a Korean BBQ meal! Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 07, 2022
Kenji Lopez-Alt: Mapo Tofu
When Kenji makes a late-night grilled cheese sandwich in his kitchen, with a Go-Pro camera strapped to his head, more than 10 million YouTubers tune in to watch . His recipe for scrambled eggs was the New York Times ' most clicked on recipe in 2021 and every book he writes goes straight to the bestseller list, including his newest, The Wok: Recipes and Techniques . But his last meal goes back to his childhood, when he was more focused on being a scientist than a sous chef. The defining ingredient of Kenji's last meal is Sichuan peppercorn, a spice that numbs and tingles the tongue and is, frankly, not a peppercorn at all. Dr Stuart Farrimond joins the show to explain the science behind the Sichuan peppercorn and answers host Rachel Belle's questions about spice, such as: can you learn to like spicy foods or is a tolerance for heat genetic? But if there's one reason to listen, it's to learn Kenji's well-researched method of how to boil eggs with guaranteed easy-to-peel shells. Follow along on Instagram and please subscribe and review! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 24, 2022
Julia Sweeney: Nanaimo Bars
By the end of this episode, you'll feel like the charming, hilarious and down-to-earth Julia Sweeney is your best friend! Julia and host Rachel Belle discuss everything from her true love of eating alone (and how that makes her husband feel) to the 60th birthday gift she gave herself: never dieting again. Julia wants to cap off her last meal with Canada's favorite, no-bake, layered dessert: the Nanaimo bar! Rachel chats with Joyce Hardcastle, the contest winner who created the city's official recipe back in 1986, and the current mayor of Nanaimo, about the history of the bar and how ubiquitous it is in the Vancouver Island city it was named after. Follow along on Instagram ! Get tickets to Julia Sweeney's Spokane, WA live shows on March 26th, 2022! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 10, 2022
Camila Alves McConaughey: Ribeye with Matthew's Secret Spice Rub
Camila Alves McConaughey co-wrote a new children's book called Just Try One Bite , about a couple of kids who try and get their picky parents to eat healthier foods. In the McConaughey household, there's one thing that everybody loves: the secret family spice rub created by Camila's actor husband, Matthew. But not all family recipes are so pure! Listeners call in to share stories about the day they learned that their family's beloved, homemade lasagna/baked beans/peach pie actually, secretly came from a can, a recipe on the back of a box or...a chain restaurant. Camila grew up in Brazil, so host Rachel Belle chats with Brazilian food writer Jaíne Mackievicz about the history of Brazilian food and one of Camila's favorite dishes, Brazilian lasagna! Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 24, 2022
Jessica Seinfeld: Spaghetti & Meatballs, Caesar Salad, Garlic Bread & Tiramisu
Jessica Seinfeld's latest cookbook, Vegan, At Times , is an ode to her current lifestyle of eating mostly vegan, but she still enjoys the occasional bowl of warming chicken soup or nostalgic spaghetti and meatballs. She calls it a "gentler approach" to veganism and doesn't believe in creating rules around eating or doing any plant-based proselytizing. Jessica's last meal took us down a path we never thought we'd go: organized crime! Host Rachel Belle chats with Anna Van Valin, co-host of the podcast Every Day Is A Food Day , about how Italian-American restaurants became the clubhouse of choice for the mafia. And Rachel consults with the folks at Ragu , the jarred spaghetti sauce of her youth, about an Al Capone rumor splattered all over the Internet. Jessica says her vegan mac & cheese is indistinguishable from the real thing, which got Rachel thinking: what allows cheese to melt and how do you get vegan cheese to do it? She spoke to the CEO of New Culture , a group of cheese loving scientists who've discovered the secret ingredient to creating vegan mozzarella that melts and tastes like the real thing. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 10, 2022
Paul Janeway (St Paul & the Broken Bones): Kraft Macaroni & Cheese
Paul Janeway is a southern boy from a small Alabama town who's had his world blown wide open thanks to music. Touring the world with his band, St Paul & the Broken Bones, has drastically expanded his palate -- he's eaten everything from pigeon heart to fancy Michelin star meals. But only one dish truly has his heart: Kraft Macaroni & Cheese! Paul and host Rachel Belle go deep into their Blue Box memories and idiosyncratic preferences, and then we learn the history of this iconic product with food historian Sarah Wassberg Johnson . Paul lives in Birmingham, Alabama, which is also home to a very niche, regional cuisine that we were completely unaware of! Rachel Belle chats with Birmingham filmmaker Jessica Chriesman and the owner of Alabama's longest running family restaurant, The Bright Star , about Greek soul food. Follow along on Instagram and learn more about the show at www.yourlastmealpodcast.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 20, 2022
Eugene Mirman, Dim Sum
Bob's Burgers star (he voices Gene!) Eugene Mirman took an unorthodox route to becoming a professional comedian: he actually earned a bachelor's degree in comedy! And a quick scroll through his Instagram page reveals a man who loves home cooking; he's whipped up everything from pad Thai to homemade pasta while spending lots of time at home during the pandemic. So this episode is all about the intersection of food and comedy. Gastro Obscura's senior associate editor, Anne Ewbank, takes us on a historical journey, from the ancient Greeks and their genital-heavy seafood jokes to the vaudeville and silent film days, when slipping on a banana peel or smashing a pie into somebody's face was the height of hilarious high jinx. Follow Your Last Meal host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 13, 2022
Best Of with William Shatner: Sushi & Mexican Food
At 90 years old, William Shatner is an exuberant, curious, ridiculous flavor of hilarious and his chat with host Rachel Belle feels like a live improv performance with plenty of unexpected twists and turns. Shatner is best known for his role as Captain Kirk on Star Trek and "singing" popular songs in his signature spoken word style, but he also has strong opinions about avocado toast, considers himself a sushi connoisseur and loves beautifully made Mexican food. So Rachel took a trip to Sushinola , one of the country's few Sinaloa style Mexican sushi restaurants, in Kent, Washington. Rolls are stuffed with carne asada, topped with pico de gallo, drizzled with housemade chipotle sauce and deep fried because co-owner Anayancy Reyes says most Mexicans are decidedly not fans of raw fish. And psychology professor Dr Julia Hormes joins the show to share her fascinating research on cravings. Turns out, food cravings are cultural and psychological, not a universal human experience -- the word "craving" doesn't even exist in many languages. The whole thing about pregnant women craving crazy combinations like pickles and ice cream? Dr Hormes will set the record straight. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 30, 2021
Jake Shimabukuro: Steamed Kumu
Award winning ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro is a lifelong Hawaii resident, where catching a big fish in the morning means feasting with friends and family that evening. One of his favorite catches is kumu, a fish that exists nowhere else in the world except Hawaii. Host Rachel Belle chats with Mark Healey , a Hawaiian professional surfer who has been sustainably spearfishing for his dinner since he was a toddler. Mark shares his secrets to charming and successfully hunting a kumu while also holding his breath (under water, not during our conversation!). Jake also loves poi, one of Hawaii's most sacred and traditional foods. Don't know what poi is? We got you! Learn its history and cultural significance with the owner of Oahu's Waiahole Poi Factory. Plus Jake shares his secret to making fried rice pop and you'll hear a song from his brand new album, Jake & Friends ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 09, 2021
Vanessa Lachey: Lasagna
Vanessa Lachey's new book, Life from Scratch: Family Traditions That Start with You , features recipes and entertaining ideas, but the book is rooted in a deep and vulnerable place. Vanessa's mom left when she was a little girl, depriving her of motherly advice, care and the Filipino food she craved. It took decades, but the actor and TV host finally felt empowered to stop mourning what she lost, and start creating her own special traditions for her young family -- including a chicken adobo recipe her husband, 98 Degrees' Nick Lachey, loves. Vanessa and host Rachel Belle discuss how she secured a place in the Guinness Book of World Records (it's food related!) and why her family celebrates the holidays with a dish called Wiener-Bun Surprise. Vanessa loves lasagna, so obviously Rachel had to talk about America's favorite, curmudgeonly, lasagna loving cartoon cat and she digs into the etymology of the comforting Italian casserole. We'll also learn about Lasagna Love , a non-profit started during the pandemic. Rachel's favorite lasagna recipe ! Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life, or give the gift of pizza this holiday season, visit www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, November 24, 2021
Nadiya Hussain: Mom's Korma & Rice
Winning Season 6 of The Great British Bake-Off completely changed Nadiya Hussain 's life. The fan favorite went from a stay-at-home mom to the author of more than a dozen books, she's hosted nearly as many television programs and was commissioned by Buckingham Palace to bake Queen Elizabeth II's 90th birthday cake (orange drizzle cake with orange curd and orange butter cream, in case you're cake curious). Nadiya grew up in a British Bangladeshi family, with a dad who owned and cooked in Indian restaurants. As a kid, she was frustrated that he served watered down, westernized versions of her family's favorite foods. That is not the case at Seattle's Spice Waala . Host Rachel Belle chats with Dr Aakanksha Sinha and Uttam Mukherjee, Indian immigrants who had grown so frustrated with the lack of regional Indian food in America, they quit their corporate jobs to open an Indian street food restaurant showcasing kathi rolls and chaat. They've also translated their social justice morals and values into caring for their employees and the community. Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life, or give the gift of pizza this holiday season, visit www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 11, 2021
Christina Tosi: Never Ending Desserts Instead of Dinner
Milk Bar founder, chef and CEO Christina Tosi loves dessert so much, she would happily give up savory foods for three square meals a day of cookies and milk and ice cream. We talk about the special cake her husband designed for their wedding (that he made her promise to never make for anyone else), the career she almost chose instead of baking and the wacky flavor creations her colleagues won't let her put on the menu. Christina is known for flipping childhood classics and suburban grocery store staples on their heads, and spinning them into fantastical, crave-worthy cakes and cookies. Her three-tiered, rainbow sprinkle flecked, naked birthday cakes are one of Milk Bar's signature desserts. So we investigate the history of the birthday cake (why is it ubiquitous to celebrate with cake?) and birthday candles with Alysa Levene, author of Cake: A Slice of Histor y and Anne Byrn , author of 15 books including her newest, A New Take On Cake . Christina has a new children's book out called Every Cake Has A Story . Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life visit www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 28, 2021
Carla Lalli Music: Bread + Butter & Red Wine
Carla Lalli Music has found success in so many culinary corners of the food world; from her job as Shake Shake's very first manager to Bon Appétit magazine's food director to bestselling cookbook author. Her new, cheery, bright yellow cookbook is called That Sounds So Good -- a phrase we've certainly all moaned after reading about a particularly droolworthy dish. Carla's last meal doesn't contain a drop of religious significance, but the combination of foods she craves are unavoidably biblical. So host Rachel Belle talks with Italian archaeologist and researcher Generoso Urciuoli about what Jesus and his 12 apostles would have actually eaten at The Last Supper. Carla shares the condiment her family loves so much, they go through a jar nearly every day and the gimmicky TikTok food trends they've tried over the pandemic. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram! This episode is sponsored by Ooni Pizza Ovens, the world's first portable pizza oven company! Rachel Belle has been making incredible, chewy, bubbly, melty pizzas in her Ooni for more than three years. If you want to make the best homemade pizza of your life visit www.ooni.com/yourlastmeal See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 14, 2021
Ken Jennings: BBQ
To celebrate Ken Jennings' return to the Jeopardy stage, we're re-airing his episode, which happens to be one of our favorites! In 2004, Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings won 74 games in a row, making him the record holder for longest winning streak. In 2020 he slayed Jeopardy' s Greatest of All Time tournament and he will be sharing Jeopardy hosting duties through the end of the year, alternating with past YLM guest Mayim Bialik . In this episode, Ken shares how he became obsessed with trivia, Alex Trebek's shockingly sugary breakfast choice and, a huge barbecue lover, tells us why he doesn't want to be known as a "Barbecue guy." He also clues us in to the regional food of Utah: Jell-O! We learn the history of Jell-O with Lynne Belluscio, executive director of the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy, New York. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 30, 2021
Phoebe Robinson: Tacos from Hija de Sanchez
Phoebe Robinson is all grown up. The standup comedian, New York Times best-selling author, and co-host of the 2 Dope Queens podcast and HBO show recently started her own imprint with Penguin Random House to focus on publishing women, POC and queer authors; including her own new book, Please Don't Sit On My Bed In Your Outside Clothes . And even MORE adult: she says she finally has matching dishes and an Instant Pot! Phoebe's favorite tacos in the whole wide world are from a taqueria in...Copenhagen! Hija de Sanchez's Mexican American chef/owner, Rosio Sanchez, joins host Rachel Belle to share the challenges of cooking fantastic, traditional Mexican food Denmark, where many people still attempt to eat tacos with a knife and fork. Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 16, 2021
Martina McBride: Mom's Pot Roast & Fluff Salad
Country music star, Martina McBride , has won 15 major music awards, sold more than 23 million albums, written two cookbooks and has a brand new exhibit in Nashville's Country Music Hall of Fame Museum. But her roots are in a small, Kansas farm town where she grew up eating plenty of canned vegetables and ground beef with her musical family. You know what other musically gifted gal grew up on a farm in Kansas? Dorothy, from the Wizard of Oz! We take a trip down the Yellow Brick Road with William Stillman, author of The Road To Oz , who shares both the fun and unfortunate food facts behind the most watched film of all time. After Martina tells host Rachel Belle about Fluff Salad, where Cool Whip is a salad dressing, we needed to know: what defines a salad?? Meggan Hill, creator and executive chef of Culinary Hill , a midwestern recipe website, explains how popcorn salad , Snickers salad and cookie salad are all...salads. A couple of years ago we did an episode all about the tomato sandwich , but have you ever had a banana sandwich? North Carolina food writer Sheri Castle says in some parts of the south, it's more common than peanut butter and jelly. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 02, 2021
Antoni Porowski: Eggs, Salad, Fish, Steak, Potatoes, Vegetable, Pasta, Crepes
You know Antoni Porowski as the charming, gentle, earnest food and wine expert on Netflix's Queer Eye , but before he got his big break, he was an out of work actor who spent years working front-of-the-house restaurant jobs. Antoni shares his biggest home kitchen splurge, after landing the coveted job as one of the Fab Five, and Your Last Meal listeners call in to confess their most extravagant food related flings. Antoni and host Rachel Belle were both intrigued by TV dinners as kids, something neither were allowed to have, so we'll learn the origin story of those little compartmentalized trays filled with frozen Salisbury steak and mashed potatoes. And the co-author of the new Gastro Obscura book joins the show to share the stories behind some of the world's most remarkable, strange and fascinating foods of past and present. Who invented Hawaiian pizza? Why were single Austrian women putting apples under their armpits? Listen in! Pre-order Antoni's new cookbook, Antoni: Let's Do Dinner ! Follow along on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 19, 2021
Joshua Henry: Mom's Jamaican Food & Trader Joe's Vanilla Cake
Tony and Grammy nominated performer Joshua Henry has been in nine Broadway shows, including In the Heights and the role of Aaron Burr in the first run of Hamilton , and he's about to release his first solo album. Joshua grew up in Miami, on his mom's Jamaican food, so host Rachel Belle welcomes Jamaican culinary historian and cookbook author Victoria Burke to the show to lay out the long, fascinating history of Jamaican cuisine. Burke was a dear friend of Bob Marley, and she shares the incredibly healthy, culinary rituals of Rastafarians, including why they don't use silverware or metal pots and pans. And Rachel and Joshua bond over a shared history of Shake N Bake (and I helped!). Stars, They're Just Like Us: they shop at Trader Joe's! Joshua shares his Top 5 favorite foods from Trader Joe's and we learn what shoppers voted as their very favorite TJ's products of the year. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 05, 2021
Host Rachel Belle: Vintage Party Snacks
It's Your Last Meal' s 5th Anniversary, but instead of the traditional 5th anniversary gift of wood, we're giving you the gift of...this podcast episode! The show's very first guest , back in August 2016, was Seattle chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas . So we flipped the script and rallied Tom to interview host Rachel Belle about her last meal! This episode is all about party foods, so Rachel welcomes back some of her favorite celebrity guests to talk about the tiny, toothpicked party snacks they can't resist. And because there's nothing better than a surprise party, you'll have to listen in to find out who the mystery guests are! So BYOB, grab a bag of ice on your way over & please take your shoes off before you come in because it's podcast party time! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 01, 2021
Lake Street Dive: Ritz Crackers, Cream Cheese and Pickles & Chocolate Covered Pretzels
Lake Street Dive 's singer, Rachael Price, and drummer, Mike Calabrese, have been buddies since college, when they formed their first band together at Boston's New England Conservatory of Music. Years and years of touring, and eating every meal together on the road, means they know each other's eating habits inside out. But there was one thing they didn't know about each other: their last meals! Through Rachael's last meal we'll learn the history of America's favorite snack food and then, inspired by Mike's last meal, we'll hop down a babysitting rabbit hole. Sittercity.com founder, Genevieve Thiers , answers every babysitter's question: can you really help yourself to anything you want in your charge's fridge and pantry?! And we discuss the role of food in The Baby-Sitters Club books with Marisa Crawford, co-editor of a new book of essays and art, We Are the Baby-Sitters Club , and writer Jennifer Epperson who wrote a critical essay about Claudia Kishi, the series' beloved junk food junky. Follow 'Your Last Meal' and host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 17, 2021
Mark Bittman: Whatever Looks Good At The Market
Mark Bittman is a veteran food writer and prolific cookbook author known for his unfussy recipes and "How To Cook Everything," a 2,000-recipe tome that's sold more than a million copies. So when it comes to his last meal, Mark stays on brand and keeps it simple. So simple, in fact, he won't actually name a specific dish! Mark is also a dad. So as a Father's Day treat, host Rachel Belle invited Mark's daughter, Kate Bittman, to join the conversation, to talk about what it was like growing up with a food obsessed dad. The verdict: it was embarrassing. Former Bon Appetit magazine food director, and current cookbook author, Carla Lalli Music teaches us how to improvise a delicious meal, without a recipe, based on what looks fresh at the market. And listeners share the delicious, disgusting and darling dishes their dads cooked when they were growing up! Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 27, 2021
Live Show! Mark & Brian Canlis: Caprese Salad & Din Tai Fung Xiao Long Bao
Rachel Belle hosted the very first Your Last Meal *LIVE* at Crosscut Festival ! She was joined by brothers Mark and Brian Canlis, third generation owners of Seattle's 70-year-old fine dining institution, Canlis . The Canlis brothers just hired a new executive chef, only the 7th in the restaurant's history, and they share the quirky and unconventional application process they used to help weed out a leader without ego, who isn't afraid to be vulnerable. Canlis' doors have been closed over the past 15 months, but they've gained international attention for their ingenuity, launching 18 different pandemic culinary concepts that sold out one after the next: everything from a parking lot crab shack to the virtual learning platform, Canlis Community College. And Brian reveals his Secret Shame Food, a concoction that made his wife think twice about marrying him. Then Chinese Soul Food cookbook author, and maker of a million dumplings, Hsiao-Ching Chou joins us to talk xiao long bao, otherwise known as Chinese soup dumplings. Follow Your Last Meal and Rachel Belle on Instagram ! (Photo by Chona Kasinger) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 13, 2021
Michelle Zauner (Japanese Breakfast), Her Mom's BBQ Kalbi & Dongchimi
Michelle Zauner is famous for playing music under the name Japanese Breakfast , but it turns out she's one of those obnoxiously talented people who creatively thrives in multiple genres. Michelle just released a wildly popular memoir called Crying in H Mart , about her complicated relationship with her Korean mother who died of cancer when Michelle was 25. Korean food plays a huge role in the book and in her conversation with host Rachel Belle . Michelle takes us to Korea, where she and her mother insatiably ate their way through Seoul every other year of her childhood. She talks about who taught her to cook Korean food, since her mother never got a chance to teach her, and how the Korean grocery chain H Mart now brings her comfort. Immigrant parents and grandparents are infamous for not writing down recipes or measuring out ingredients, making it virtually impossible to perfectly recreate their food after they're gone. Melissa Miranda, the Filipina-American chef/owner of Seattle's Musang , opened her restaurant in an effort to preserve Filipino home cooking in the community her dad immigrated to in the 1970s. She joins the show to tell her story. Follow Rachel Belle and Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 29, 2021
Mayim Bialik, Pickled Tomatoes & an Ice Cold Coke
Actor Mayim Bialik ( Blossom, Big Bang Theory, Call Me Kat ) is a pickle monster. If it's crunchy, face puckering sour and floating in brine, chances are she's going to love it. Pickles are one of humanity's most ancient foods, so host Rachel Belle consults with Jan Davison, author of Pickles, a Global History to suss out their origin story and Alan Kaufman, owner of The Pickle Guys , Manhattan's last standing pickle shop. Mayim also shares her journey to veganism, her favorite Jewish holiday foods and what it's been like since she revealed that she's in recovery for an eating disorder that developed in her 40s. Follow Rachel Belle and Your Last Meal on Instagram ! Check out Every Day is a Food Day, a podcast that explores the stories, scandals, holidays and heroes behind your favorite foods, hosted by Anna Van Valin and Lia Ballentine. Listen on Apple Podcasts , Spotify , or wherever you're listening to Your Last Meal ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 08, 2021
Raffi: Pesto Pasta
It's been 41 years since Raffi's hit children's song Baby Beluga was released and he's still plucking away at the guitar and writing new tunes. Raffi is arguably the most famous performer of children's music in North America, but he's also an outspoken environmentalist and activist for climate change, which greatly influences the way he eats (read: so many vegetables!). Raffi loves pesto, a seemingly simple, five ingredient, raw Italian sauce. But every time host Rachel Belle makes a batch, she's disappointed. So Daniel Gritzer, culinary director for Serious Eats and recipe tester of many pestos , breaks down what it takes to make the most delicious, creamy, vibrant green pesto. Hint: you won't be needing your food processor. Keeping with the theme of children's entertainment and food, Rachel chats with Erika Thormahlen and Jeremy Konner, creators of the wonderful new Netflix show Waffles and Mochi , a food and travel program for kids starring two culinary curious puppets. It's the first show produced by Michelle and Barack Obama's new production company, Higher Ground. Follow Rachel & Your Last Meal on Instagram! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 25, 2021
Candace Cameron Bure: Spaghetti Bottarga & Carrot Cake
Growing up, Friday nights were for slumber parties, pizza delivery and the best TV of the week: the TGIF lineup, starting with the very best show, Full House . Candace Cameron Bure was a big part of host Rachel Belle's childhood, and she's wiggled her way into the nostalgia of a new generation, reprising the role of DJ Tanner on Fuller House and writing her latest children's book, Candace's Playful Puppy . Growing up in a big family, Candace says almost every night was taco night. But her parents served them with a very American twist: ketchup! We learn the ancient history of ketchup and hear some Ketchup Confessions from listeners who get way more creative with the condiment beyond French fries and hot dogs. Plus, the history of carrot cake with The Cake Historian , Jessica Reed! Follow Rachel Belle and Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 11, 2021
Bridgerton's Julia Quinn: Sushi & Ice Cream
Julia Quinn is a New York Times bestselling author 19 times over, but a whole new audience has been introduced to her work since her popular Bridgerton romance novels were turned into a fantastically popular Netflix show. Julia doesn't write much about food in her Regency Era novels, so host Rachel Belle called on Paul Couchman , a food historian known as “The Regency Chef,” who offers Regency Era cooking classes at The Regency Town House , a restored 1820s mansion in Brighton, England. He indulges us in what the Bridgerton family would have eaten and says vintage British cuisine was far bolder and spicier than it is now. Seattle might be famous for salmon and Starbucks, but with nine months of gray and rain, locals (including Julia Quinn & family) are in love with pho, the aromatic Vietnamese beef and noodle soup. Rachel chats with former Washington state governor Dan Evans and the owners of Seattle's first pho restaurant, Pho Bac , about why there are so many pho shops in Seattle. And Julia once won $79,000 on the game show The Weakest Link , so Rachel challenges her to a round of food trivia! Follow Your Last Meal and Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 25, 2021
100th Episode with three, 100-Year-Old Women: An Italian Sunday Supper, Swedish Meatballs & Giambotta
For the 100th episode of Your Last Meal , host Rachel Belle welcomes three, 100-year-old women to the show to share their extraordinary lives, their last meals and the secret to a long, happy life: red wine and “keeping your own teeth.” It is our pleasure to introduce you to Antoinette Underwood, a World War II nurse with a love of dry, Italian wines, Ruth Samuelson, who walked a half marathon at 96, and Eleanor Owen, whose career spans from Broadway actor to co-founder of NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness. IKEA’s US culinary director joins the show to tell us how an umlaut-happy furniture store became synonymous with Swedish meatballs and lingonberry jam. And if you're single, living alone and loathe eating solo during the pandemic, Sutanya Dacers, host of the podcast Dinner For One , shares the story of how learning to cook for herself, post-divorce, made her feel whole again. Here are some highlights from the past 99 episodes, in case you missed them: Ice cream icons, Ben & Jerry , reveal the reason their ice creams are so famously packed with sweet blobs, chunks and ribbons: Ben has no sense of smell or taste and insists on loads of texture in every bite. Fashion designer Betsey Johnson had us thinking about the intersection of fashion & food, so we called up Franc Fernandez, designer of Lady Gaga’s infamous meat dress, which is very appropriately made from...yes, skirt steak. Filmmaker John Waters wants to know how long it takes for a slice of coconut cream pie to show up as fat on his body. So Rachel interviews a dietician who explains the science of weight gain, busting just about every Internet myth in the process. François Clemmons , who played Officer Clemmons on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, loves okra, even its notorious slime. As does Adrian Miller, the Soul Food Scholar, who shares the history of many African American dishes that came over from west Africa during the slave trade. Actor and activist Rose McGowan loves Taco Bell and maintains the exact same order since she was 13, which she can rattle off at record speed. Rachel chats with Taco Bell's unofficial historian about how a white guy started a Mexican fast food empire. Actor D
Thu, February 04, 2021
Maria Sharapova: Latkes & Sour Cream
Want to be the best tennis player in the world? Start playing when you're four years old! That's what Maria Sharapova did and after five career Grand Slams, an Olympic medal and an impressive 28 years of playing, she retired last year. But Maria is still working -- she's CEO of Sugarpova , her very own candy company, inspired by her love of collecting sweet treats when she traveled the world playing tennis. Maria was born in Russia and her happiest childhood memories are eating pelmeni and honey cake in her grandmother's kitchen. So Bonnie Morales, chef/owner of Kachka in Portland, Oregon, joins the show to talk about why she was inspired to open a modern Russian restaurant. Turns out, Maria, Bonnie and host Rachel Belle share an undying love for one the world's most under appreciated condiments (that's what we call a tease!). And Jewish linguist and professor Sarah Bunin Benor explains why we might pronounce hummus, challah and latke differently depending on who we're talking to. Follow 'Your Last Meal' and host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, January 15, 2021
Ben & Jerry: A Dessert Buffet & Perfect Fruit
Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield are the ice cream equivalent of Cher or Madonna: they need only be introduced by their first names. The boyhood buddies are just as well known for their activism as they are for flavors like Cherry Garcia and Chubby Hubby, unabashedly seeking equality for all on their own time and through Ben & Jerry's ice cream flavors. It seems social justice + ice cream go together like hot fudge + whipped cream: host Rachel Belle chats with Madison, Wisconsin's Katrina Ervin, founder of Ice Cream Social , who started selling ice cream for a cause after George Floyd and Breonna Taylor's murders. Ben reveals why Ben & Jerry's ice creams are famously studded with so many delicious chunks & Rachel interviews two doctors who have collectively been studying smell and taste for decades, Dr. Sandeep Robert Datta and Dr. Pamela Dalton. They say suddenly losing these senses to Covid can have serious psychological effects. And, we are all familiar with the fifth taste, umami, but Dr. Datta says there is also a secret sixth taste! Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, December 23, 2020
Cameron Esposito: Chicago Italian Beef Sandwich
Comedian Cameron Esposito wants to be clear: she's not from Illinois , she's from Chicago. Specifically, Little Italy, where her Italian American family has lived and ate red sauce and melted mozzarella for generations. Cameron is sentimental about Chicago's famed Italian beef sandwich, a big, sloppy, drippy, delicious mess that she has given up for a vegetarian lifestyle in Los Angeles. Chicago's Al #1 Italian Beef claims to be the inventor of the Italian beef, and host Rachel Belle gets the history from owner Chris Pacelli, who has worked in his family's business in some capacity for more than 60 years. Plus! Cameron and Rachel ponder the age-old question: "Is guacamole a lesbian food?" and Cameron reveals the unorthodox midnight snack she invented while working long, late hours on the road. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 26, 2020
Prancercise Founder Joanna Rohrback, Eggplant Parmesan
On Christmas Day 2012, a video was uploaded to YouTube featuring a woman in a pink top, costume jewelry and a styled coif prancing through a Florida park. A few months later the video went viral, and everyone from John Mayer to your mom's hairdresser was talking about Prancercise and its creator, Joanna Rohrback. Rohrback defines her Prancercise exercise program as "a springy, rhythmic way of moving forward, similar to a horse's gait and ideally induced by elation." Rohrback is a very regimented eater. Once, when traveling abroad, she packed her suitcase full of her favorite, healthy foods to take along on vacation. So host Rachel Belle chats with a TSA spokesperson about the kookiest food people have tried to bring through security. We also talk about Chrissy Teigen's hack for getting gravy through TSA. Plus, food scholar Clifford Wright joins the show to share the history of the iconic Italian dish, eggplant parmesan. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 05, 2020
Carla Hall: Cheeseburger & Lemon Meringue Pie
Chef and TV personality Carla Hall ( The Chew, Crazy Delicious ) took a long and winding road to the kitchen. She started her career as an accountant, moved on to modeling and eventually charmed Americans with her charisma and from-the-heart cooking (and her catchphrase "Hootie Hoo!") on Bravo's Top Chef. Carla's last meal is pure Americana. In fact, pretty much every modern president, from Clinton to Trump, has been widely documented as a rabid cheeseburger fan. Host Rachel Belle chats with Matthew Wendel , the chef who cooked for President Bush and his family, about the cheeseburger that was famously, and regularly, served to foreign diplomats. Home DNA tests are all the rage, but when Carla Hall got the results of hers, it changed the way she cooked forever. We talk with Sarah Anderson from the Boston nonprofit, Oldways , about the African Heritage Diet and why food pyramids are not one-size-fits-all. Follow your Last Meal and Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 15, 2020
Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman, Steak Frites & A Bowl of Peak Season Vegetables
It's the Food + Friendship episode! Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman are long-distance best friends who host the popular podcast Call your Girlfriend and co-wrote the new, best selling book Big Friendship . Just like New York City was the fifth character in Sex and the City , snacks might be the third wheel in Ann and Aminatou's friendship. After years of lounging on each other's couches, chatting and watching Gossip Girl in their comfiest clothes, the pair have perfected their snack game. Learn the bizarre, over-the-top history of the cheese ball (Ann's snack specialty) with its political ties to President Thomas Jefferson, and the not-so-wacky history of Texas queso (Aminatou's snack strength) with Lisa Fain, author of the cookbook Queso and The Homesick Texan blog. Is there a food that defines one of your friendships? A meal that has become a friendship tradition? In the 90s, when their friends were cooking sophisticated and foreign dishes, Seattle's Joelle Nole and Michelle Dideon forged a friendship over their secret love of beef stroganoff. But 28 years later they're still arguing over who won the Beef Stroganoff Off. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! "What would your last meal be?" On this James Beard Award finalist for best podcast, National Edward R. Murrow award-winning reporter Rachel Belle asks guests like Greta Gerwig, John Waters, Neil deGrasse Tyson and Jenny Slate this question; but that’s just the beginning! Each dish’s origins, preparation, and cultural influence are among the many stones upturned as Rachel consults chefs and culinary anthropologists, fishmongers and fry cooks on her quest to explore every facet of Your Last Meal . Original music by Prom Queen . Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 24, 2020
John Waters: A Single Leaf of Arugula
Filmmaker ( Hairspray, Pink Flamingos, Cry Baby ) John Waters built a decades long career creating strange, sometimes grotesque, cult art that, for years, had most of America clutching its collective pearls. But in his day to day life, John craves order and embraces a bit of the mundane: he cooks almost exclusively from the now defunct Cooking Light magazine. John eats healthy on the weekdays and splurges on the weekends and wanted to know how many hours/days/weeks it takes for a couple slices of coconut cream pie to show up as fat on his body. So host Rachel Belle interviews Seattle dietician Mya Kwon about the science of weight gain and how your feelings about food can influence the shape of your body. And learn the long history and art of fake plastic food with Justin Hanus, owner of Fake Food Japan . Justin works with craftspeople in Osaka, Japan who apprentice and train for years to work in factories that painstakingly create extremely detailed, plastic versions of ramen, sushi, spaghetti and ice cream that look identical to the real thing. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 03, 2020
Spilled Milk Podcast: Cacio e Pepe, Okonomiyaki, Chocolate Malt
Listening to Matthew Amster-Burton & Molly Wizenberg host the popular culinary comedy podcast ' Spilled Milk ' is like eavesdropping on a giggly slumber party between two curious, well-read best friends who love to eat. Molly's last meal takes us to Oklahoma City, home of one of her favorite childhood treats: the chocolate malt at Braum's Ice Cream & Dairy Store . We'll learn the fascinating history of old timey, 19th century pharmacy soda fountains (which is where the malt was born, aww!) with beverage history buff Darcy O'Neil . And host Rachel Belle tries her very first (and second and THIRD!) malted milkshake. Matthew's last meal takes us to Japan, by way of Oakland, California with the owner's of Umami Mart , who break down okonomiyaki, a savory Japanese pancake best enjoyed late at night with plenty of beer. Last but not least, legendary Italian chef, cooking show host and restaurateur Lidia Bastianich joins the show to share the history of cacio e pepe, one of Rome's most ancient pasta dishes. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! 'Your Last Meal' is a James Beard Award finalist for Best Podcast & has been the #1 food podcast on Apple Podcast. Each episode, award winning host Rachel Belle interviews a celebrity (Greta Gerwig, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jenny Slate, Betsey Johnson, etc) about what they would choose to eat for their last meal. Then, she digs into the history/science/culture of that dish with experts from around the globe. Don't let the name fool you, 'Your Last Meal' is not morbid! We use food as a catalyst to learn about people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 20, 2020
Best of: Isaac Mizrahi, Homemade Tomato Sauce & Mint Chip Ice Cream
We are hard at work on a brand new episode of 'Your Last Meal,' but until then we are re-releasing an updated version of one of our favorite interviews with Isaac Mizrahi ! Acclaimed fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi has it all: humor, heart and hot takes on the culinary world. He knows what he likes (Long Island beefsteak tomatoes) and what he doesn't like (calling lemon juice "acid") and he shares it all with James Beard Award nominated host, Rachel Belle. When Isaac sends Rachel on a mission to uncover a mint chocolate chip ice cream mystery, she summons Ben & Jerry's flavor guru, Eric Fredette, who's responsible for creating flavors like The Tonight Dough and Brownie Batter Core, Heather Hodge, head chef at Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream in Seattle, and Nestle's test kitchen manager, Meredith Tomason. Nestle invented the chocolate chip back in the 1940s and Meredith shares the history of the legendary Toll House chocolate chip cookie. Months after this episode originally aired, Rachel and Isaac met up in Isaac's Manhattan kitchen to cook together. You can watch those videos here ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 30, 2020
François Clemmons, Soul Food
François Clemmons is best known for playing Officer Clemmons on Mr Roger's Neighborhood from 1968 to 1993 and he shares the story of his life in a new book called Officer Clemmons: A Memoir . François tells James Beard Award finalist Rachel Belle about his special relationship with Fred Rogers, the first man who ever told him, "I love you." A resident of Vermont for decades, François' favorite foods are rooted in his family's southern upbringing. He got his local health food store to order him chitterlings and his favorite part of okra is its notorious slime. Soul Food Scholar Adrian Miller joins the show to share the history of those African American dishes, many of which came over from West Africa during the slave trade. One of the most controversial and divisive southern dishes is cornbread. African Americans tend to put sugar in their cornbread, while white southerners scoff at sweetener, arguing that cornbread shouldn't contain a speck of sugar. North Carolina food writer Kathleen Purvis pops in to share what she learned while writing the article, "Why does sugar in cornbread divide races in the South?" 'Your Last Meal' is a James Beard Award finalist for Best Podcast & has been the #1 food podcast on Apple Podcast several times. Each episode, award winning host Rachel Belle interviews a celebrity (Greta Gerwig, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Jenny Slate, Betsey Johnson, etc) about what they would choose to eat for their last meal. Then, she digs into the history/science/culture of that dish with experts from around the globe. Don't let the name fool you, 'Your Last Meal' is not morbid! We use food as a catalyst to learn about people. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 09, 2020
Danny Trejo, Tacos, Nachos & Coffee
Danny Trejo has happily played the villain, the bad guy & the mean dude in more than 300 films. And now that he's hit his 70s he's added a new career to his incredibly diverse portfolio: restaurant owner! Danny opened Trejo's Tacos and Trejo's Coffee & Donuts in Los Angeles and was adamant about packing the menu with healthy dishes like vegan jackfruit tacos, cauliflower tacos and horchata sweetened with dates instead of sugar. But if you're a taco snob who doesn't think vegan Mexican food is authentic, the history books will tell you otherwise. Denise Vallejo, vegan chef/owner of LA's Alchemy Organica , says Mexico didn't have flour tortillas, cheese, pork or sugar until the Spanish invaded. She connects to her ancestors by cooking with pre-colonial ingredients. And L.A. Taco's editor-in-chief and associate producer of Netflix's Taco Chronicles , Javier Cabral , joins the show to defend $5 fancy tacos. He believes it's merely culinary evolution and a celebration of quality ingredients. Pick up Danny's new cookbook, Trejo's Tacos: Recipes and Stories From L.A. Follow 'Your Last Meal' and host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 25, 2020
Rose McGowan, Taco Bell
Actor, activist and musician, Rose McGowan, was born and raised in Italy, in what many would describe as a cult. When she moved to the United States at age 10, she said she cried, knowing her days of eating delicious Italian food were over. Rose offers up two very different versions of her last meal: one that speaks to her Italian palate, and another that's reflective of her teenage life in America. Turns out, Rose and host Rachel Belle had very similar teenage tastes: both got by on a steady diet of Taco Bell. Or, if you're Rachel: Taco Belle. Taco Bell's unofficial historian and PR manager, Matt Prince, joins the show to share the history of the 58 year old fast food giant and he reminds us that a Taco Bell themed wedding can be a reality if you can just get yourself to Las Vegas. Listen to Rose McGowan's new album, Planet 9 ! Follow 'Your Last Meal' on Instagram ! Join Rachel Belle's new 'Talk Less, Read More' BOOK CLUB , to educate yourself about race and the inequality Black people face in America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 11, 2020
Valerie Bertinelli, Cappelletti in Brodo
Actor and Food Network star Valerie Bertinelli's happiest childhood memories are set in her Aunt Adeline’s basement kitchen, where pots bubbled with marinara for her mom's lasagna and her nonnie stood at the counter expertly rolling out gnocchi. But her favorite meal, her most comforting meal, her last meal is a delicate Italian dish that traces back to medieval times and was commonly served on Christmas. Which dish? You'll have to listen to find out! In honor of Valerie's beloved, late nonnie, host Rachel Belle interviews Vicky Bennison, creator of the "Pasta Grannies" YouTube channel and James Beard Award winning cookbook. Vicky travels around Italy, documenting elderly Italian housewives responsible for keeping the daily pasta making tradition alive. It's the most charming and delicious combination of floral house dresses and luscious looking hyper-regional pastas. Watch the new season of Valerie's Food Network show, Valerie's Home Cooking ! Follow Rachel and "Your Last Meal" on Instagram ! Check out these food podcasts hosted by black women! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 21, 2020
Bethany Cosentino, The Cheesecake Factory's Mac & Cheese & Caesar Salad
The affection that Best Coast's singer, songwriter and guitarist, Bethany Cosentino, has for suburban chain restaurants is not ironic. A musician who's (almost) always on the road (thanks, quarantine), she finds it comforting to experience the same decor, menu and flavors no matter what city she's in. Bethany's favorite chain of all is The Cheesecake Factory , so host Rachel Belle chats with chief culinary officer and executive Vice President, Donald Moore, about how the restaurant's menu expanded from a small cafe in 1978 to the mammoth 250 item, 21 page tome we know today. He shares behind-the-scenes R&D secrets, like how simply tweaking the name of a burger can make it a best seller, and reminisces over dishes he loved and painstakingly developed...but nobody ordered. Bethany and Rachel also dive into The Internet's favorite topics: cats and pizza! Treat yourself to Best Coast's wonderful new album, Almost Tomorrow and support artists! Follow along on Instagram where you can join Rachel's Quarantine Cooking Club ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 07, 2020
Laura Prepon, Mussels
Actor Laura Prepon ( That 70s Show, Orange is the New Black ) is the mother of two tiny children and just released a book called You and I, as Mothers: A Raw and Honest Guide to Motherhood . But in her conversation with host Rachel Belle she opens up about her own mother, who was a serious, eccentric home cook who also taught Laura how to have an eating disorder. Laura's last meal is a dish she grew up eating at her family's east coast vacation home and a meal she hasn't enjoyed in years because she's either been pregnant or breast feeding. In honor of Laura's role as Alex, a federal prison inmate on the TV show Orange is the New Black , we revisit a 2016 interview Rachel did with the late rapper Prodigy , who passed away from complications due to sickle cell anemia in 2017. Prodigy wrote a book called Commissary Kitchen: My Infamous Prison Cookbook , featuring recipes he cooked while locked up at various New York state jails. He reveals how inmates procured various ingredients and where they whipped up the sodium dense dishes that created a rare and much welcomed comradery among prisoners. Make sure and follow Your Last Meal on Instagram and join Rachel's Quarantine Cooking Club, featured on Seattle's KING 5 Evening! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 23, 2020
Betsey Johnson: Smoked salmon with capers and plenty of lime
Betsey Johnson has been a fashion designer since the 1960s and her clothes are just as colorful and vivacious as the true stories in her new book, Betsey, A Memoir . From her courthouse wedding to the Velvet Underground's John Cale to years of eating nothing but Red Vines and almonds, she is the most free spirited, joyful, foul mouthed punk rock grandma the world did ever see. Betsey is teeming with creativity, but she has no interest in channeling it into cooking. A true creature of habit, she eats the same thing, day in and day out, and prefers to dine at a restaurant each night. She's been in the habit of eating salmon two meals a day, so host Rachel Belle checked in with the world famous Pike Place Fish Market, where they sell schools of salmon and famously throw fish to the delight of a pre-quarantined cheering crowd. Perhaps the most infamous intersection of fashion and food is the raw meat dress Lady Gaga wore to the 2010 MTV VMAs. The dress's creator, creative director Franc Fernandez, joins the show to share what cut of meat makes the best dress and how it was later preserved for eternity. Buy Betsey's memoir! Order sustainable fish with next day delivery from Pike Place Fish Market! Follow 'Your Last Meal' on Instagram and join the Quarantine Cooking Club , now in Week 5, where each weekend we all cook a dish inspired by the last meal of a past guest! Check out Rachel's IG to learn more . Last weekend we cooked Mexican food, the last meal of the podcast's most ridiculous guest, William Shatner. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 09, 2020
Judy Gold: Challah, stuffed cabbage, chocolate pudding
Comedian Judy Gold 's email signature reads "Sent while thinking about my next meal"...but what about her last meal?! A stand-up comic for nearly 40 years, Judy won two Emmy's for writing and producing The Rosie O'Donnell Show, has countless TV acting credits and, the highest honor of all, a bagel sandwich named after her at New York City's famous, and now defunct, Carnegie Deli. When describing her last meal, Judy speaks passionately, occasionally emitting a guttural moan of pleasure at the mere thought of one of her favorite foods. She craves a procession of comforting and sentimental dishes she grew up eating in her mother's New Jersey kitchen. Judy was raised kosher, but as an adult she's slowly welcomed forbidden foods like shellfish and bacon onto her plate. To properly explain kosher law, host Rachel Belle welcomes Rabbi Menachen Genack to the show. He's the CEO of OU Kosher , the world's oldest and largest kosher certification agency, responsible for giving products like Heinz Ketchup and Coca Cola the official kosher stamp of approval. Listen to Judy Gold's podcast KILL ME NOW -- Rachel Belle is her latest guest! If you're looking for yet another reason to cook during quarantine, join the Your Last Meal Quarantine Cooking Club on Rachel's Instagram page ! Each week we all cook a dish inspired by the last meal of a past guest. Week One we made spaghetti and marinara inspired by fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi , week two was mac & cheese, the last meal of "Little Women" director Greta Gerwig & celebrity librarian Nancy Pearl . What's cooking this week? Follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bonus · Thu, March 26, 2020
The Your Last Meal Quarantine Cooking Club!
Hello, friends! Normally we would be releasing a new episode today. But a certain pandemic, of which we will not name, has complicated things a bit. We are still working on making new episodes, because we believe it's important to take a break from the news and spend 30 minutes talking about Lucky Charms or Banoffee Pie or Chicken Katsu, but it's just coming along a bit more slowly. In the meantime, follow along on Instagram to join in on this weekend's Your Last Meal Quarantine Cooking Club! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 12, 2020
Ben Gibbard, Veggie Burrito from Taqueria Cancun
Ben Gibbard (Death Cab For Cutie, Postal Service) hates brunch. But heck, so did Anthony Bourdain! Host Rachel Belle explores the history of the mid-morning weekend meal and asks New Yorker writer Sadie Stein what's not to like about bottomless mimosas and Instagrammable #yolkporn. Ben is an ultramarathon runner who runs 100 mile races and, in turn, consumes a whole lot of calories. But what (and how??) does one eat while running for 23 hours straight? Ben shares his pregnancy-level food cravings and the drink that must be present at all races to keep the runny people from rioting. BURRITOS! We also talk about burritos! Ben's last meal takes us to the epicenter of burrito fanaticism: San Francisco's Mission District. Turns out, Ben and Rachel have been equally obsessed with the same burrito at the same taqueria for the past 20 years. And writer Gustavo Arellano , author of the book Taco USA, joins the show to share the history of the burrito. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 27, 2020
Guy Branum, His Mom's Peach Cobbler
Comedian and writer Guy Branum ( Chelsea Lately, The Mindy Project ) grew up on an almond farm in the northern California farming community of Yuba City, where he was forced to hunt pheasant with his dad and ate a steady diet of dishes his mom plucked from the trusty church cookbook. The centerpiece of Guy's last meal is his mom's juicy, cakey peach cobbler, a fairly untraditional recipe that he loves so much he included it in his (decidedly not food focused) memoir, My Life As A Goddess . But what is a cobbler versus a crisp versus a buckle versus a brown Betty? Seattle pastry chef, and lifelong baker, Brittany Bardeleben (Dahlia Lounge, Dahlia Bakery) enlightens us. Guys home town, Yuba City, CA, is the prune capitol of the world! But how did the innocent little dried plum get its not-so-savory association to grannies and staying regular? I consult the California Prune Board and food writer, and Big Time Prune Lover, Gabriella Gershenson , who urges you to give prunes a chance. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, February 06, 2020
Marco Collins, Eggs Benedict
Legendary radio DJ, Marco Collins , was the first disc jockey in the world to play records by Nirvana, Weezer, Beck, Pearl Jam, Garbage, and many others, when he was music director and DJ at Seattle's 107.7 The End in the '90s. Breaking these bands earned him a spot in the Rock & Rock Hall of Fame. Marco loves breakfast, so host Rachel Belle takes a field trip to Glo's , one of Seattle's long standing diners, to try his favorite eggs Benedict and learn the secret of their hallowed hollandaise. And everybody knows, "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day," but did you know that phrase was actually a marketing ploy by General Mills to get Americans to eat cold cereal in the morning? Culinary historians Ken Albala and Heather Arndt Anderson join the show to explore the fascinating history of American breakfast. And! The even more fascinating history of cereal, via the Kellogg's brothers, who believed corn flakes could curb one of the world's great evils: masturbation. Subscribe to the podcast! Leave us a review on Apple Podcasts! Stay in touch and follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 23, 2020
Gloria Gaynor, Chicken Wings
Forty years ago, disco queen Gloria Gaynor won a Grammy for I Will Survive , a universally relatable anthem that's still blasted and belted out at pride parades and karaoke parties and inside showers and cars the world over. Now she's back with a new album, Testimony , that's been nominated for two Grammys. Gloria grew up surrounded by good music and good food and despite being poor, neighbors would crowd around her dining room table to enjoy the humble spread and fantastic company her mother provided. Gloria wants chicken wings for her last meal, so we dig into the history of the Buffalo wing with Anchor Bar , an 85 year old institution in Buffalo, New York. Anchor Bar's owner took a seemingly worthless chicken part and turned it into a finger lickin' snack that Americans can't get enough of, especially over Super Bowl Weekend. Make sure you're subscribed to Your Last Meal and follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! For the first time in two years, Your Last Meal has space for new sponsors! To learn more, contact Tina Sorensen at tsorensen@bonneville.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 09, 2020
Best of: Greta Gerwig & Molly Yeh: Funfetti!
Director and actor Greta Gerwig chatted with host Rachel Belle two years ago, after her award winning coming-of-age film Lady Bird came out. Now she's back with a new movie, the Louisa May Alcott classic Little Women , so we decided to spruce up the old episode and re-release it, nice and fresh and funky for 2020. When it comes to food, Greta has a soft spot for sentimental childhood favorites, including the ubiquitous 1990s birthday party staple: boxed Pillsbury Funfetti cake. But some folks are, ahem, thinking outside the box. Molly Yeh, host of Food Network's Girl Meets Farm, tirelessly recipe tested nine different types of sprinkles and three cake batters to perfect her homemade ' sprinkle cake .' She chronicled her journey on her popular blog, My Name Is Yeh, and joins the show to talk all things sprinkles...including how to make your own. Follow along on Instagram , and feel free to email host Rachel Belle anytime (any hour! any day!) at rbelle@bonneville.com with your feedback, stories, and guest suggestions! We would love to hear from you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 26, 2019
Unorthodox Podcast: Friendly's Fishamajig, Ben's Kosher Deli & Israeli Schnitzel
It's Hanukkah, friends! And in an attempt to build a human menorah, host Rachel Belle invited Mark Oppenheimer, Stephanie Butnick and Liel Leibovitz into the studio, hosts of the world's leading Jewish podcast, Unorthodox ! (We are still five "candles" short, if you know anyone). Together, we attempt to tackle the most important Jewish food topics of our time: is it more Jewish to wrap your leftovers in tin foil or plastic wrap? Is it a good idea to blend schnitzel and Israeli salad into a savory smoothie? And the most shocking topic of all: are bagels even a Jewish food anymore? Food writer and cookbook author, Leah Koenig joins the show to share the history of bagels, cream cheese and lox in America. And we revisit the biggest bagel scandal of 2019, the tweet that rocked the nation: Bagelgate! A couple of St Louis food writers weigh in on the St Louis tradition of "bread slicing" bagels. All this and, of course, the last meal reveals of Mark, Stephanie and Liel! Buy Mark, Liel & Stephanie’s new book, The Newish Jewish Encyclopedia ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, December 05, 2019
Alison Roman, Slice of New York Pizza
Alison Roman is everywhere these days. She's been zipping around the world promoting her new, New York Times best selling cookbook, Nothing Fancy , never without her signature orange-red lips and matching nail polish. Opinionated and sassy, with a penchant for lemons and anchovies and a fuss-free approach to cooking, the Internet goes absolutely wild for a Roman recipe. Honestly. Just Google 'The Cookie' or 'The Stew.' I'll wait. And how many times have you heard someone say, "It's the water!" while trying to justify why pizza and bagels are only at their peak deliciousness within the boundaries of New York City? Well, turns out this is not an urban legend. Paul Errigo owns New York Watermaker , a company that can convert any tap water in the world into New York City tap water. He did it for Tony D'Aiuto, a New York City restaurateur who struggled to produce high quality pies when he tried to open a pizzeria in Los Angeles. Pizzerias, bagel shops and bakeries in 30 American cities are using this technology. It. Is. Fascinating. Make sure and follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram & subscribe and leave a review wherever you're listening to this! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 21, 2019
Graham Elliot, Scrapple
Chef Graham Elliot has a knack for creating delicious, wacky, highly Instagrammable dishes that are as effervescent as his big, bubbly personality. His lobster corn dogs are adored by Eminem, Rihanna and Dave Grohl and YLM host Rachel Belle is a big fan of his foie gras lollipops rolled in Pop Rocks. But for his last meal? Graham craves a humble, breakfast table staple that he grew up eating in his grandparent's home state of Maryland: scrapple! Rachel Belle welcomes William Woys Weaver , author of Country Scrapple: An American Tradition to the show to answer the age old question: what exactly is scrapple? And Mike Rassmussen, owner of Painted Stave Distillery in Smyrna, Delaware, tells us how and why he created his uber popular scrapple vodka. Make sure and subscribe to Your Last Meal , leave a review and follow along on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bonus · Thu, October 24, 2019
Bonus Episode: The Snack! feat. Hari Kondabolu
Welcome to The Snack! It's not a full episode, just a quick & tasty bite where host Rachel Belle asks the previous week's guest a handful of lightning round style questions. Rachel Belle and new episodes of the podcast will be back stateside soon! If you'd like to follow along while she kayaks with baby fur seals and cooks on the world's tiniest stove in a van, you can find her in New Zealand - or on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 10, 2019
Hari Kondabolu, Idli and His Mom's Peanut Chutney
Standup comedian Hari Kondabolu is known for his smart, political humor. But when it comes to what the self proclaimed "killjoy who does comedy" craves, this dude has a serious sweet tooth. According to Hari, his childhood was a fever dream of cookies and candy bars: chocolate milk sprayed from his shower, cars rolled around on Oreos instead of tires and colorful gummy worms wriggled around his garden. I mean, not really. But I was a creative writing minor in college and I really wanted to write that sentence. Hari reveals his favorite Halloween candy and what he believes is the tastiest treat when flying the friendly skies. But his last meal is far more savory, a southern Indian dish prepared by his mother. So host Rachel Belle calls upon Asha Gomez , an award winning Atlanta, Georgia chef and cookbook author, who talks about her unique style of cooking: south India meets the American south. Gomez doesn't want to be pigeonholed as an Indian cook. After 30 years living in the US, she is an American with a kid who loves mac & cheese and pizza. Check out Hari's Netflix special, " Warn Your Relatives ," his documentary " The Problem with Apu " or catch him on tour ! Stay in touch: follow Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 26, 2019
Iron & Wine's Sam Beam: A Stack of Tomato Sandwiches, Boiled Peanuts & White Burgundy
Iron & Wine sounds like a band but, in fact, there is just one man behind the music: a soft spoken, North Carolina singer songwriter named Sam Beam. Sam is the ideal conversation partner: he laughs generously and speaks with a warm southern drawl. He also happens to have excellent taste in food and drink. A true southern boy, Sam wants a stack of tomato sandwiches for his last meal. Just ripe, summer heirlooms, squishy white bread and mayonnaise. A simple summer snack so sacred in North Carolina, locals get good and riled up at the mere mention of adding bacon or lettuce to the mix. We called upon a couple North Carolina culinary queens to talk about the do's and don'ts of the tomato sandwich: veteran food journalist Kathleen Purvis and chef, restaurateur and cookbook author, Vivian Howard . And sticking with the southern theme, food historian Robert Moss joins the show to tell the true history of the boiled peanut. Lucky for us, tomatoes are still hanging heavy on the vines, because you'll be hankering for a tomato sandwich by the end of this episode. Iron & Wine has a new album out, the latest collaboration with the band Calexico. Buy the album and check out their current tour here . Make sure you're subscribed to the podcast and follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 12, 2019
John Oates, Rib Eye Steak & Ice Cream
John Oates is the mustachioed half of Hall & Oates, the best selling musical duo in history. Maneater! I Can't Go For That! Rich Girl! These dudes were hit making machines. So host Rachel Belle started thinking about famous food duos: Ketchup & Mustard. Peanut Butter & Jelly. But the best selling culinary duo of all time has got to be Salt & Pepper. When did they get together? And why do we automatically sprinkle them both on our food without questioning their coupling? Learn the history of salt & pepper from Ken Albala , professor of food history at the University of Pacific. And like so many other Your Last Meal guests before him, ice cream is a part of John's last meal; specifically Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams . Rumor has it, owner Jeni Britton Bauer created the salted caramel ice cream flavor that pops up on boutique ice cream shop menus across the country. She tells Rachel how music influences every flavor they dream up. Hall & Oates are performing this Saturday, September 14th, 2019 at the Washington State Fair, get tickets ! Oh, and make sure to follow Your Last Meal on Instagram! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 29, 2019
Duff McKagan: Family Meal at Black Angus Steakhouse (circa 1984)
Guns N' Roses bassist, Duff McKagan, is the dictionary definition of rock & roll: he's got the skull tattoo, the tight black jeans & a dramatic, alcohol-related near death experience under his belt. But Duff is more than just a pretty bass. He's a history buff who went back to school to get a degree in finance & he's been living sober for 20 years. Duff's last meal is a tribute to the family meal his Central American coworkers made for the staff when he worked at the Northridge, California Black Angus Steakhouse in 1984. So host Rachel Belle and producer Laura visit Canlis , Seattle's James Beard Award winning fine dining mecca, where family meal is treated with as much reverence as the food presented to guests in the dining room each night. At 4pm sharp they sat down with co-owner Mark Canlis and a huge team of cooks, dishwashers, servers and bartenders to enjoy the restaurant industry's most important meal of the day. Duff's new album, Tenderness , is available now. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bonus · Fri, August 23, 2019
Bonus Episode! Introducing: The Snack! Ep 1: Lynn Shelton
Welcome to The Snack! It's not a full episode, just a quick & tasty bite where host Rachel Belle asks the previous week's guest a handful of lightning round style questions. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 15, 2019
Lynn Shelton, Baguette with Butter & Italian Gelato (the Dairy Free/Gluten Free episode)
Indie filmmaker darling, Lynn Shelton, has a brand spankin' new movie out, Sword of Trust starring Marc Maron. But to pay the bills, she's worked as a freelance director on television shows like Mad Men, New Girl, GLOW and Master of None . Not a bad side hustle! For her last meal, Lynn would love nothing more than to get down with a good loaf of artisan bread and a big bowl of cookie dough ice cream, but sadly she can't have either. She's allergic to gluten, dairy, sugar, fruit (!) and a long list of other forbidden foods, so she uses her never ending supply of creativity and imagination to invent treats that will fulfill her cravings but won't make her sick. Lynn has been gluten intolerant for over 20 years, so when gluten free and plant based bakery and cafe, Flying Apron , opened in Seattle in 2001, she literally sobbed with happiness. And she's not the only one! Rachel chats with Flying Apron's owner, Angela Cough, about the mourning many people go through when forced to give up their favorite foods. And what happens when a professional baker is diagnosed with Celiac? Elisa Castle tells her story. AND .. we have a very exciting announcement! Join Rachel for a Meat (ahem) & Greet on Tuesday, September 3rd* from 7:00pm - 9:00pm at the Ballard location of Lil Woody's to break buns & chow down on the 'Your Last Meal' Charcuterie Burger , inspired by the last meal of past guest, actor and cookbook author, Tiffani Thiessen (Saved By The Bell, Beverly Hills 90210). The ' Your Last Meal' Charcuterie Burger will be on the menu from September 3 - September 9 at all four Lil Woody's Seattle locations (Ballard, Capitol Hill, SLU, White Center). So get your buns down there and try it! Oh, and follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! * this is a date change from what you'll hear on the episode! Captions can be updated, but unfortunately, podcast episodes cannot. The correct date for the event is September 3rd. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 01, 2019
Cathy Guisewite, Dairy Queen chocolate-dipped vanilla cone
Ack! Cathy Guisewite wrote and drew the Cathy comic strip, syndicated in newspapers across the US from 1976 to 2010. She got her start in a very unorthodox way, having never drawn a comic strip in her life, in a time when men dominated the Sunday morning funnies. You're going to want to hear this story! If you've ever taped a Cathy comic to your fridge or cubicle, you know the character is obsessed with chocolate chocolate chocolate and is often seen in a department store dressing room, scrutinizing herself in a bathing suit. So Rachel Belle chats with psychologist and Non-Diet approach advocate, Louise Adams, about how today's trendy diets (intermittent fasting, Keto, Paleo) are just as kooky and harmful as the cabbage soup & grapefruit diets of years past. And summer just isn't the same without at least one cone topped with an ethereally creamy, mile-high swirl of soft serve. Dairy Queen has been in the cone biz since 1940 and its director of product development explains what makes soft serve different (ahem, better? *cough*) than hard packed ice cream. Cathy Guisewite's book, " Fifty Things That Aren't My Fault: Essays From the Grown-Up Years " is out now! Follow Rachel Belle on Instagram & sign up for the Your Last Meal newsletter . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 18, 2019
Kyle MacLachlan: Dinner at Peter Luger Steakhouse
In the nearly three years we've been producing Your Last Meal, one thing has become abundantly clear: there are a LOT of vegan celebrities. But Kyle MacLachlan ( Twin Peaks, Sex & the City, Portlandia, Dune ) is a meat man. Burgers? He loves 'em! Steak? He'll have one for his last meal, thank you very much. And his favorite is from Williamsburg, Brooklyn institution, Peter Luger Steakhouse , a family run joint that's been serving steaks and schlag in the same exact location for 132 years. What's schlag? We will school you! Why haven't they ever hired a single female server? Fourth generation owner David Berson has answers. Kyle hates food waste as much as he loves getting creative with leftovers, so Rachel welcomes Jill Lightner, author of Scraps, Peels, and Stems: Recipes and Tips for Rethinking Food Waste at Home to the show. Jill can make delicious magic with potato peels, cauliflower leaves and the goopy liquid we pour out of a can of beans. Less compost, more cooking! Kyle's Walla Walla winery recently released a new fleet of wines. Check out Pursued By Bear wine! Make sure and follow Your Last Meal on Instagram ! And if you haven't already, listen to our new (and first!) bonus episode about why there are so many Thai restaurants in America. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Bonus · Thu, July 11, 2019
Bonus Episode! The sneaky plan that doubled the number of Thai restaurants in America
In our last episode with actor Lauren Weedman, she wanted to know why there are so many Thai restaurants in Seattle. And we left her (and you) hanging! But now we have answers. In this bonus episode, Rachel explores why there are so many Thai restaurants in the United States with Mark Padoongpatt, author of 'Flavors of Empire: Food and The Making of Thai America' and assistant professor of Asian American studies at University of Nevada Las Vegas. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, July 03, 2019
Lauren Weedman, Pad Thai
Lauren Weedman wants to love food again. The comedic actor, a former The Daily Show Correspondent and current The Moth host, with roles on Curb Your Enthusiasm and HBO's Looking, has a complicated relationship with food. She wants to make eating a more soulful experience, starting with her last meal; a food she never lets herself enjoy. And yes, we used phrases like "complicated relationship with food" and "soulful experience," but rest assured: Lauren is one of the funniest guests to grace Your Last Meal; chortles ahead. Lauren's love of pad Thai takes us to Little Uncle , one of Seattle's best Thai restaurants. Chef/owners Poncharee Kounpungchart and Wiley Frank painstakingly squeeze tamarind pods to make the sauce for their pad Thai and they tell Rachel why they refuse to put chicken in the dish, no matter how nice a customer asks. Lauren Weedman was raised by a ballerina who was always watching her weight, so Rachel interviewed Kari Brunson, a former professional ballet dancer who retired from dance to explore her love of cooking. Today Kari co-owns Seattle's Juicebox Cafe and one of Rachel's favorite ice cream shops, Frankie & Jo's . Follow Rachel Belle & Your Last Meal on Instagram ! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 06, 2019
Moby, A Single, Organic Orange
Musician and producer Moby is also a major philanthropist: he donates all the proceeds from his Los Angeles restaurant Little Pine to animal rights organizations, as well as all the money he makes from his albums and his latest memoir, "Then It Fell Apart." He's been a vegan for more than three decades and tells host Rachel Belle he can whip up healthy, filling, vegan meals for under a dollar. Which we imagine is a useful skill when you're giving all your money away! Moby's last meal is...oh-so Moby. He celebrates the fruit that we ate by the slice after every childhood soccer practice, the fruit that shares its name with a color, the fruit that rhymes with approximately zero other words. So we welcome Mike Osborn to the show, owner of Sosio's Produce , located right smack dab in the middle of beautiful, historic Pike Place Market. Mike has been wheelin' and dealin' oranges for nearly 30 years. He's got the sass of a sailor, the palate of a chef, and he wants to teach you how to pick out perfect, in-season produce so you don't take one bite of a mealy apple and throw it away. Follow Your Last Meal on Instagram & make sure and subscribe so you never miss an episode! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, May 24, 2019
William Shatner, Sushi and Mexican Food
Prolific actor William Shatner has strong opinions about avocado toast, considers himself a sushi connoisseur and loves beautifully made Mexican food. So host Rachel Belle took a trip to Sushinola, one of the country's few Sinaloa style Mexican sushi restaurants, in Kent, Washington. Rolls are stuffed with carne asada, topped with pico de gallo, drizzled with housemade chipotle sauce and deep fried. And psychology professor Dr Julia Hormes joins the show to share her fascinating research on cravings & pregnancy cravings. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 09, 2019
Mary Sohn, Ice Cream with Hot Fudge & McDonald's French Fries
Actor and improviser Mary Sohn currently stars in the NBC comedy A.P. Bio , but when she's not in front of a camera she can be found happily dipping food into other food. Chips into dips! Crispy bacon into oatmeal! Mary is a dipping fool! And she especially likes pairing sweet with salty, crunchy with creamy and super cold with scalding hot. So Rachel consulted with a fast food giant to discuss the ultimate cult combo: french fries dipped in a Wendy's frosty. And chef and "How To Taste" author Becky Selengut stops by to answer questions like: why does wasabi burn your nose but spicy peppers burn your tongue? What's a supertaster? Why are Reese's Peanut Butter Cups so beloved? Your Last Meal is a James Beard Foundation nominated podcast! Follow along on Instagram: @yourlastmealpodcast See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 25, 2019
Rainn Wilson, A Vegetarian Israeli Spread
Actor Rainn Wilson is best known for playing Dwight Schrute on the American version of The Office . But when he's not acting, he's trying to make the world a better place. Rainn and his wife run a non-profit called Lide Haiti, to help educate at-risk girls in Haiti, and last year they attempted to transition from voracious meat lovers to plant chomping vegans. Which leads us to Rainn's last meal: a vegetarian Israeli feast! Rainn's last meal allowed host Rachel Belle to unpack a topic she's been ruminating on for years: the disappointing state of hummus in America. David Nussbaum, owner of Seattle's fantastic Aviv Hummus Bar , joins the conversation to discuss the difference between American hummus and Israeli chooomousse (emphasis on the guttural "ch"), why it took him years to perfect a dish with only three ingredients and why he refuses to water down his recipes to suit American palates. If you pronounce bruschetta "broosketta" and say "cwassan" instead of croissant, this is the episode for you! Or! If you think it's pretentious to pronounce bruschetta "broosketta" and say "cwassan" instead of croissant...this is also the episode for you. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mon, April 15, 2019
Isaac Mizrahi, Spaghetti with Homemade Sauce & Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream
Acclaimed fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi has it all: humor, heart and hot takes on the culinary world. He knows what he likes (beefsteak tomatoes from his Long Island summer garden) and what he doesn't like (today's pickling trend), and he shares it all with award winning host Rachel Belle in the latest episode of the James Beard Award nominated podcast "Your Last Meal." Isaac sends Rachel on a mission to uncover a mint chocolate chip ice cream mystery. So Rachel summons Ben & Jerry's flavor guru, Eric Fredette, who's responsible for creating flavors like Tonight Dough and Brownie Batter Core, Heather Hodge, head chef and manager of culinary operations at Molly Moon's Homemade Ice Cream in Seattle, and Nestle's test kitchen manager Meredith Tomason. Nestle invented the chocolate chip, or the "morsel," back in the 1940s and Meredith shares the history of the legendary Toll House chocolate chip cookie. Everything Isaac Mizrahi, including how to get his new book I.M.: A Memoir, is available at helloisaac.com . See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 21, 2019
Steven Page, Jewish Holiday Feast... and Soup!
Steven Page is best known as the lead singer, guitar player and songwriter for the band Barenaked Ladies, but he's been going at it as a solo musician for the last decade. Michelin stars and fine wines were Page's jam; he hosted a food TV show and has eaten at fancy restaurants around the world. But these days he's attracted to humble, home cooked foods. Like soup! Boy does Steven Page love soup! So Rachel interviews Larry Thomas, who was nominated for an Emmy for playing "The Soup Nazi" on Seinfeld , while the actor gave out soup samples in a Seattle grocery store. Page grew up Jewish and always keeps a jar of gefilte fish in his fridge, no matter the season. So we called upon Jeffrey Yoskowitz, co-founder of The Gefilteria , co-author of The Gefilte Manifesto and an artisan gefilte fish maker who ships his gefilte loaves across the country. We discuss the notorious gefilte fish jar jelly and Yoskowitz's mission to get people cooking traditional Jewish foods again, not just on the holidays. Click here to buy Steven Page's new record Discipline: Heal Thyself, Part II and to get tickets to his upcoming Canadian tour. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, March 01, 2019
Samin Nosrat: The Entire Menu at El Molino Central
Samin Nosrat is the James Beard Award winning, New York Times bestselling author of the book "Salt Fat Acid Heat" and the charming host of the Netflix series by the same name. Samin laughs easily, is brimming with curiosity and brings new life and authenticity to the saturated world of food media. Get yourself a boyfriend who looks at you the way Samin looks at a roast chicken. Rachel chats with Karen Taylor, owner of El Molino, about what makes her tortillas and tamales so special and Samin and Rachel debate which is the best way to wrap a burrito: in foil or yellow paper. Then we welcome Bon Appétit magazine's senior editor Andy Baraghani to the show. Andy says he spent his life trying to hide his Iranian heritage until a food magazine asked him to create a Persian spread that reconnected him to his culture. And Rachel cooks tahdig with Omid Roustaei, a passionate Persian cooking teacher in Seattle. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, February 15, 2019
Phil Rosenthal, Hot Dogs
Phil Rosenthal is the creator and co-producer of "Everybody Loves Raymond" (yo, that show got 69 Emmy nominations!) but now his passion is introducing Americans to fantastic foreign food destinations as the host of his Netflix show "Somebody Feed Phil." Phil enthusiastically eats al pastor in Mexico City and pastéis de nata in Lisbon, but his last meal would be a collage of classic American childhood favorites, including the humble hot dog. Welcome to Your Last Hot Dog! A show about buns (heh heh) and the cylindrical meats that rest inside of them! First we head to Nathan's Famous Hot Dogs in Coney Island, Brooklyn to learn the history of the century-old company. Then, Rachel chats with Major League Eating president Richard Shea about their annual 4th of July Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest, an event so popular it's aired on ESPN. And Rachel and Producer Aaron discuss their favorite hot dogs toppings or, spoiler alert, the lack there of. Next stop: Copenhagen, where hot dog carts have been a street food staple since 1920. Rachel consults with Danish food and wine journalist Rasmus Palsgard about traditional Copenhagen hot dog toppings and is surprised to learn what drink is commonly paired with a street dog. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, January 30, 2019
Nora McInerny, A Box of Lucky Charms with Whole Milk
Nora McInerny is an author and host of one of Rachel's favorite podcasts: Terrible, Thanks for Asking, "a funny/sad/uncomfortable podcast about talking honestly about our pain, our awkwardness, and our humanness, which is not an actual word." For her last meal, Nora wants a magically delicious childhood favorite, so we talk to General Mills about their iconic breakfast cereal Lucky Charms. But what is cereal without milk? Rachel gets the bottom of why humans started drinking other mammals' milk (and why so many of us are lactose intolerant) with Mark Kurlansky, author of Milk! A 10,000 Year Food Fracas . And speaking of mammal milk, it turns out there's a LOT more going on with breast milk than most people realize. So Angela Garbes, author of Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy , breaks down nature's most perfect food. You can buy Nora's books and get more info about The Hot Young Widows Club at noraborealis.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, January 18, 2019
Dorie Greenspan: Ice Cream, Lobster, Ice Cream
Prolific, 5-time James Beard Award winning cookbook author Dorie Greenspan is the queen of cookies. Famous for her beloved World Peace Cookies and many baking books, including one she wrote with Julia Child, it's not surprising that Dorie wants to start and end her last meal with dessert. What's wrong with eating dessert first, anyway? Rachel chats with Ayurvedic counselor Jodi Boone and Food Network host and TODAY show food and lifestyle correspondent Brandi Milloy about the scientific, Ayurvedic and general life-bettering benefits of starting your meal with sweets. And when Dorie told Rachel she ate the same exact lunch every single day for years, the first person we thought of was Donald Gorske. Gorske has eaten almost nothing but McDonald's Big Macs since 1972, putting his current Big Mac count at over 30,000. Rachel called the Fond du Lac, Wisconsin native on his flip phone to learn why the man eats two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun... Every. Single. Day. Pick up Dorie Greenspan's new cookbook Everyday Dorie: The Way I Cook at your local cookbook bookstore! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, December 21, 2018
BenDeLaCreme, Lo Mein and Lobster
Drag queen BenDeLaCreme is "sweet as pie and sharp as cheddar." And Ben, who plays "DeLa," has a lot to say about food. So what would this RuPaul's Drag Race All-Star want for his last meal? (Answer: a nostalgic buffet of his favorite New England foods.) Do you order lo mein or chow mein? It probably depends on what coast you live on! We explore the differences between east coast, midwest & west coast American-style Chinese food with “Chinese Soul Food” cookbook author Hsiao-Ching Chou and “The Search For General Tso“ producer Jennifer 8 Lee (a guest from our very first episode). Also, Ben shares his favorite cartoon foods, the trashy treat his mom used to make him which inspires some very odd childhood favorites from our listeners, and Ben outs his dear friend, Drag Race winner Jinkx Monsoon, for having an Easy Mac addiction. BenDeLaCreme is wrapping up a run of holiday shows in Seattle with Jinkx Monsoon called "To Jesus, Thanks for Everything" - and then they perform in Portland and San Francisco just after the holidays. Go to BenDeLaCreme's Facebook page for tickets. Follow yourlastmealpodcast on Instagram. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Mon, December 10, 2018
Paul Reiser, Onion Bagel with Lox from Barney Greengrass
Comedy legend, author, and actor Paul Reiser (Mad About You, Stranger Things) is a New York native whose last meal is as classic and old-school NYC as it gets! Barney Greengrass has been serving up scrambled eggs with sturgeon, bagels with lox, and black and white cookies since 1908. Rachel talks with 3rd-generation owner Gary Greengrass about the origins of his Upper West Side institution and how they've managed to stay in business, through wars and economic crashes, for 110 years. Rachel also digs into the history of another legendary NYC staple: the black and white cookie. And Paul tells us why he firmly believes that when it comes to food, simpler is better. See Paul Reiser on tour, follow his TV/movie appearances, and buy any of his best-selling books at paulreiser.com. If you don't live in "The Big Apple" (that's what the locals call it!!!!), you can still order the best smoked fish in the country at barneygreengrass.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 22, 2018
Tiffani Thiessen, Charcuterie and Cheese Board
Former teen crush Tiffani Thiessen has come a long way since her days at Bayside High. She's a mother, wife, cookbook author, and host of her own show "Dinner at Tiffani's" on The Cooking Channel. And her artistic outlet is also her last meal! We get tips from Tiffani on how to set up the perfect charcuterie board, and then Rachel heads down to Seattle's historic Pioneer Square neighborhood to learn all about the art of cured meats from Martinique Grig and Clara Veniard, owners of Salumi - a beloved salumeria and restaurant founded by Armandino Batali, father of celebrity chef Mario. Tiffani's characters on "Saved by the Bell" and "Beverly Hills 90210" spent a lot of time hanging out at diners, and when Rachel asks Tiffani if the food was better at The Max or The Peach Pit... it didn't bode well for either place. So Rachel tracked down one of Hollywood's favorite veteran food stylists, Chris Oliver, who has been making the iconic foods you've seen in TV and movies for over 30 years including Seinfeld, Friends, and even 90210. Check out Tiffani's new cookbook "Pull Up a Chair: Recipes from My Family to Yours." Learn more about culinary behind the scenes from Chris Oliver at hollywoodfoodstyling.com. Order some of the most delicious meats you'll ever eat at salumicuredmeats.com. And follow yourlastmealpodcast on Instagram! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 08, 2018
Maeve Higgins, Fish Pie and Irish Butter
Top o' the mornin' to ya! On this Emerald Isle themed episode of Your Last Meal, Rachel talks to Irish comedian and writer Maeve Higgins about why Irish butter is better, the food that confused her most at her first American Thanksgiving, and of course - her last meal! You'll get the history of the fish pie from Ireland's Michelin starred chef and food columnist JP McMahon. We also have a butter battle with Brian Cleer, marketing director for Kerrygold North America and Stella Parks, Senior Editor at "Serious Eats" and author of the James Beard Award-winning cookbook "BraveTart." Is European butter really superior or is store brand American butter just as good? Then, Rachel talks about one of the biggest Christmas traditions in Japan - getting a bucket of KFC fried chicken - with KFC Japan's Yuko Nakajima. All that... and why a single gal at a party should always stand by a crock pot full of Lil Smokies. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, October 12, 2018
Lyrics Born: Chicken Katsu and Kimchi
Berkeley-raised rapper/producer Lyrics Born has been in the music business for 25 years, and the rich, deep purr of his speaking voice will make you swoon. LB (as his friends call him) is a blend of Asian and Western influences, and so is his last meal! Host Rachel Belle talks all things kimchi with four-time James Beard Award nominated Chef Rachel Yang. From the history of "bloody lettuce" to its ubiquity in Korea to tips on improving your store-bought kimchi, the two Rachels explore it all. And if you're in the Pacific Northwest, treat yourself to a delicious meal at any of Rachel Yang's three Seattle restaurants - Revel, Trove, and Joule - or Revelry in Portland. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 04, 2018
Tacocat: Philly Cheesesteak Pizza + An Extravagant Buffet
Emily Nokes and Bree McKenna are half of Seattle-based band, Tacocat! Host Rachel Belle chats with the owners of Pat's and Geno's, two much beloved, rival Philly Cheesesteak shops and we'll learn the history of the s'more! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 20, 2018
Keiko Agena: Hawaiian Plate Lunch
Keiko Agena is best known for playing Rory's BFF, Lane, on Gilmore Girls , but when she's watching TV, she loves to snack on the couch while binging cooking competitions! A Hawaii native, Keiko's comfort food is a classic plate lunch, so host Rachel Belle will dig into the history of loco moco and, a Hawaiian favorite, SPAM. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, September 06, 2018
Dan Pfeiffer: Dim Sum
Dan Pfeiffer hosts the political podcast Pod Save America, but before that he was senior advisor to President Barack Obama. Dan tells Host Rachel Belle what it was like eating inside the White House, and what he would do to unwind on the weekends. Clarrisa Wei joins the show to share the history of dim sum and, although fun, explains why the carts are not the best vehicle to receive the delicious dumplings. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 23, 2018
Allen Stone: Nachos
Allen Stone doesn't usually write songs about food, but one evening his wife cooked something so fantastic, he felt moved to sing about it! Allen tells Host Rachel Belle the story behind his song Voodoo , talks about the mobile kitchen his crew brings on tour and admits that his last meal wouldn't actually be his last meal. We'll learn the history and origin story of everyone's favorite late night snack: nachos! And Buenos Nachos cookbook author Gina Hamadey joins the show to share some of the wacky nacho recipes in her book. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 09, 2018
Smitten Kitchen's Deb Perelman: Artichokes Three Ways
OG food blogger (since 2003!) Deb Perelman is the author of three best-selling cookbooks, but she does NOT want to cook her last meal! She talks about how she turned her blog into a career, the pressure she feels when it's her day to bring snacks to her kids' school & why she does not want to be called a Domestic Goddess. Travel writer Susan Van Allen shares the history of carciofi alla Giudia, the famous Roman artichoke dish. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 26, 2018
Adam Carolla: Hungarian Goulash
Host Rachel Belle grew up listening to Adam Carolla co-host the radio sex advice show Love Line, and in 2011 his podcast became the Guinness World Record holder for the most downloaded podcast of all time. Adam talks Hungarian food and his wine brand: Mangria! In this episode, we learn the history of Hungarian goulash, which is a WHOLE LOT different than the goulash one listener grew up with: pasta with tomato soup and ground beef. We'll discuss both! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sat, June 30, 2018
John Hodgman: Eggs and the Best Pizza in Maine
Host Rachel Belle talks with the reliably wry and clever comedian, author, actor, and podcaster (Judge John Hodgman) about whether or not a hot dog is a sandwich, the dangers of vacationing in Maine, and the egg-istentially steadying quality of a hot plate of scrambled eggs. Speaking of a plate of eggs... how many can you hork down? Rachel and Producer Aaron head to Seattle's legendary Beth's Cafe to attempt to conquer their infamous 12-egg omelette, and they chat with owner Chris Dalton about owning one of the last 24 hour greasy spoon diners in the city. And when egg-xactly did everyone starting eating eggs for breakfast? And why? Rachel Khong, author of "All About Eggs" has the answers. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, June 19, 2018
Boots Riley: All-You-Can-Eat Unagi Buffet
Boots Riley is a musician, writer, filmmaker, and activist. He's fronted the political hip hop group The Coup since 1991 and just wrote/directed his first feature film "Sorry to Bother You." On this episode we celebrate the "all you can eat" buffet - from its humble Scandinavian origins to the gluttonous Las Vegas sized American adaptation we know today. And Taichi Kitamura, chef/owner of Sushi Kappo Tamura, one of Seattle best sushi restaurants, gives us the REAL story behind unagi, Japanese barbecued eel, and tells us why he purposely doesn't serve the dish in his restaurant. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, June 01, 2018
Zach Braff: Chicken Parmigiana
Actor, filmmaker and restaurant-owner Zach Braff (Scrubs, Alex Inc, Garden State) was born and raised in New Jersey - home to the highest percentage of Italian Americans in the country. And for his last meal, he's sticking close to his roots! Host Rachel Belle digs into the cheesy, saucy and fascinating history of Italian food in America with Krishnendu Ray, Department Chair of the Food Studies Program at NYU. Then she talks with cookbook author and Long Island native Amy Pennington about how to make the perfect red-checkered-tablecloth-and-Chianti-bottle-candleholder chicken parm. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 17, 2018
Jennifer Pharr Davis: Red Curry and Hiking Food
Jennifer Pharr Davis is a long-distance hiker, speaker, and author who's hiked over 14,000 miles on 6 continents. Host Rachel Belle consults rock climber and James Beard Award winning chef Maria Hines, and "Dirty Gourmet" author Emily Nielson, about how to step up your outdoor food game, whether it's hiking, backpacking, or car camping. Check out Jennifer's book "The Pursuit of Endurance" and all of her other projects - including Blue Ridge Hiking Company in Ashville, NC, at jenniferpharrdavis.com. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, May 03, 2018
Kenny G: Toro with Balsamic Teriyaki Sauce from Nobu
Kenny G is the best selling instrumentalist of all time. He has sold over 75 million albums, tours all over the globe, and holds the Guinness Book of World Records record for holding the longest note on a saxophone. But he's also very into cooking! Kenny G spills the beans on the iconic coffee drink he helped invent and which supermodel gave him his pie crust recipe. Special thanks to Ellia Kassoff of Leaf Candy. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, April 19, 2018
Linda Perry: Vegan Donuts and the Science of Sonic Seasoning
Linda Perry is singer, songwriter, and producer behind massive hits for Adele, Weezer, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Pink, and, of course, the writer/singer behind the 90s hit "What's Up" by her former band 4 Non Blondes. But what would this musical maestro choose for her last meal? Spoiler alert: She's way more into music than food. Which got us thinking - is there any correlation between music and taste? To get answers, Rachel talks with Professor Charles Spence of The University of Oxford about what he calls "Sonic Seasoning," his 15 year study of how sound and music can affect the enjoyability of food, and why people drink so much tomato juice on airplanes. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, April 03, 2018
Lindy West: Smorkage and a Six Course Seattle Feast
Lindy West is a New York Times best-selling author, including the book Shrill , which was turned into a TV show. Lindy details a six course last meal feast that features smorkage, a flaky, buttery, custardy Danish pastry only available at a single bakery in the United States. Host Rachel Belle travels to Seattle's Larsen's Bakery to taste the impossible-to-pronounce Danish pastry. Lindy, a self-described "fat" person, talks about what it's like to eat in public, why she grudgingly orders honeydew, and shares a humiliating story that involves a personal pan pepperoni pizza and an episode of This American Life. Then things get "hygge!" The Scandinavian concept of coziness, comfortable conviviality, and contentment. Rachel chats with Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, and food anthropologist Signe Johansen. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 15, 2018
Maria Shriver: Hamburger and Crispy French Fries
Maria Shriver wants a burger and fries for her last meal. But it's WHERE she wants to eat it that's most interesting of all! We'll learn the earliest origins of the hamburger from burger authority, documentarian, and TV host George Motz, author of "The Great American Burger Book." Thrillist writer Kevin Alexander spent a year traveling the USA with the express mission of eating 330 burgers and compiling a list of his favorite 100. Which burger is best? You'll have to listen to find out! And finally, we are humbled and honored to announce that Your Last Meal has been nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award for Best Podcast! Rachel and Aaron will be attending the award ceremony in NYC on April 27. Fingers crossed! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, March 01, 2018
Rick Steves: Chef's Choice
Travel expert, TV & radio host, author, and activist Rick Steves has been taking people all around the planet for decades. And his passion for unique and authentic experiences, living in the moment, and trying new things matches perfectly with how Rick chose to have his last meal. Rick has also been a longtime proponent of legalizing marijuana, so host Rachel Belle gets to the bottom of how cannabis confections are created with Jody Hall, founder the edibles company The Goodship. And finally, Rachel talks with her co-worker, KIRO Radio host John Curley, about how he's vowed to only order food recommended by a server in 2017. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, February 16, 2018
Nicki Bluhm, Steakhouse and Ayurveda
Nicki Bluhm is one of Rachel's favorite singer/songwriters, touring with the likes of Josh Ritter and The Wood Brothers. She's also the fourth person to choose steak as their last meal! So on this episode of YLM, Rachel covers something she hasn't in any of the previous beefisodes: the history of the American Steakhouse. But steak isn't usually on the menu for Nicki, who eats according to a 5000 year-old Ayurvedic diet. Rachel's yoga instructor and Ayurvedic practitioner Jodi Boone is here to explain way of eating that's believed to be the most ancient healing system in the world. Nicki is going on tour in April. Find her schedule at nickibluhm.com. And keep up with Jodi at jodiboone.com. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 25, 2018
Ken Jennings, BBQ (and Jell-O)
In 2004, Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings won 74 episodes in a row, making him the record holder for longest winning streak. And 14 years later, host Rachel Belle decided it would finally be a good idea to interview him. Ken shares Alex Trebek's strange and sugary breakfast choice (you'll never guess), he explains why Jeopardy contestants have to eat lunch together and tells us why he doesn't want to be known as a "BBQ guy." He also clues us in to the regional food of Utah: Jell-O! We learn the history of Jell-O with Lynne Belluscio, executive director of the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy, NY. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, January 11, 2018
Greta Gerwig: Funfetti Cake
Greta Gerwig is the Golden Globe winning writer/director of "Lady Bird," and star of one of host Rachel Belle's all-time favorite films "Francis Ha." And her last meal is pure nostalgia. Food Network star Molly Yeh shares the secrets behind perfecting her own Funfetti cake - which she makes from scratch. Even the sprinkles! Greta shares what it's like to meet Justin Timberlake, the surprising origins of the "You Are Special" plate, and we hear what YOU would have as your last meal. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, December 29, 2017
Guillermo del Toro: Mole Poblano
Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth, Hellboy) dishes about his two homes full of monster memorabilia, about his obsession with monsters, his latest Golden Globe nominated project "The Shape of Water," and more! We also learn about the fairy-tale origin, and incredibly complicated process, of making mole from Iliana de la Vega, a Mexican-born chef, restaurateur and former Mexican/Latin Cuisines Specialist for The Culinary Institute of America. Many of us have a disgusting creature in our daily lives: the office fridge! So King County Health Inspector Mike Simpson drops by the KIRO Radio station to assess our own slimy, green monster. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, December 08, 2017
Gail Simmons: Banoffee Pie
Top Chef judge Gail Simmons travels the world eating incredible cuisine made by some of the best chefs on the planet. So what would she choose for her last meal? Banoffee Pie is a ubiquitous dish in British culture, but host Rachel Belle had never even heard of it! So she talks to its creator Ian Dowding to get the scoop on the history and incredible popularity of this delicious dessert. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, November 17, 2017
D'Arcy Carden: McDonald's French Fries and Rocky Road Ice Cream
D'Arcy Carden is on fire! Best known as Janet, the Siri-esque robot (not a robot) concierge on NBC's hit show "The Good Place," the veteran Upright Citizen's Brigade performer played Gemma on Comedy Central's "Broad City" and just happens to be old pals with our very own Rachel Belle! Rachel talks to Alan Finklestein, McDonalds owner and American success story, about one of the world's most perfect foods: The McDonald's french fry. And, things get real sweet with Lauren Wilson, owner of Sweet Lo's Ice Cream, who gives us the scoop on Rocky Road. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, November 02, 2017
Paula Deen, Baked Potato
There is nothing celebrity chef Paula Deen won't put butter on, and that includes her last meal, which is topped with a big ol' dollop. She tells host Rachel Belle that her love of cooking blossomed during the two decades she spent in her house, dealing with agoraphobia. Plus, a little history lesson from the Idaho Potato Commission on how steak became best friends with the baked potato. And Rachel takes us on a field trip to Seattle's Wedgwood Broiler, her favorite place in the world to get a fully loaded spud. But the thing you really don't want to miss is Paula's signature cackle, which is liberally sprinkled across the episode like bacon bits on a baked potato. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 19, 2017
Tom Leykis: Steak & Red Wine
Controversial "shock jock" Tom Leykis has been on the air for decades and made his fair share of enemies with his polarizing views on women and relationships. But nobody is one-dimensional, and in her effort to get to the bottom of why Tom is the way he is, Rachel discovered a man who makes his own wine, loves to experiment in the kitchen, and refuses to buy meat from a grocery store. We talk to Tom's butcher, Lou DeRosa of Marconda's Meats, the oldest standing meat market in Los Angeles, where 3 generations of DeRosa butchers have been working since 1941. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, October 05, 2017
Alicia Silverstone, Vegan Cheese
The "Clueless" star admits that although she's been vegan since 1998, she's most tempted by delicious cheese, so we talk to Youssef Fakhouri, owner of Alicia's (and LA's) favorite vegan cheese shop, Vromage. And remember that 2012 video of Alicia feeding her child like a baby bird? It caused quite the stir, so Rachel gets to the bottom of "premastication" with Melanie Martin, post-doctoral associate at Yale University in the field of Biological Anthropology. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Fri, September 08, 2017
Justin Britt: Pizza
Scoop up this slice of Your Last Meal featuring Seattle Seahawks center Justin Britt, featuring the food Rachel's been dying to delve into: pizza. You'll learn the history of pizza in the United States with Scott Weiner of New York Scott's Pizza Tours and find out buckets of fascinating food info morsels about the world of Major League Eating with Crazy Legs Conti. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Sat, August 26, 2017
Mary Lambert: Chicken Fried Steak
Singer Mary Lambert, made famous by her stunning vocal accompaniment to the smash hit "Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, is now a solo star in her own right. Mary brings pure joy and candor to her music and everything she does -- and she is very passionate about food. Tuck into one of the most delightful interviews you'll ever hear, and learn the not-so-true origins of chicken fried steak. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, August 10, 2017
Jenny Slate: Cherry Pie
James Beard Award Nominated Episode for Best Podcast! Jenny Slate (Landline, Obvious Child, Parks & Rec, Marcel the Shell) exposes her sweet tooth on this edition of YLM: her last meal includes a slice of cherry pie and a Shirley Temple! What comes to mind when you think of cherry pie? If you're like Rachel, two things: that famous Warrant song, and Twin Peaks. So we've got both! Rachel talks to Warrant's guitar player, Joey Allen, about the history behind their iconic song "Cherry Pie," and why he can no longer eat it. Also, we're live from Twede's Cafe in North Bend, WA, better known as the Double R Diner in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks," for Rachel's first ever slice of cherry pie and she talks to owner Kyle Twede about what goes into their famous dessert. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 27, 2017
Mary Roach: Oysters
Mary Roach writes brilliant nonfiction books about science and the human body that are gripping, hilarious, and usually really gross. Which is why we weren't surprised that the reason Mary wants oysters for her last year...is also kind of gross! Host Rachel Belle digs into the myths behind oysters with Rowan Jacobsen, author of "The Essential Oyster," and food & science collide as we meet Tom Ryan: CEO of Smashburger, and the inventor of McDonalds' Flury, McGriddles, and Pizza Hut's stuffed-crust pizza. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, July 13, 2017
Jackson Galaxy: NYC Jewish Feast
Cat expert Jackson Galaxy (Animal Planet's My Cat From Hell ) is basically the male version of Rachel. On this episode of YLM, these two feline-obsessed friends discuss Jackson's rise to animal-expertise, his roots as a Jewish New Yorker, and why cats are so different from dogs. Also, we explore the next level in vegan food science with Beyond Meat CEO Ethan Brown whose company is making plant-based meat that bleeds. And David Sax, author of "Save the Deli" tells us about the slow death of the Jewish delicatessen in America. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, June 27, 2017
Fran Drescher, Pasta & Fresh Italian Vegetables
Fran Drescher (The Nanny) is an actor, cancer survivor, and LGBTQ activist. On this episode of YLM, Host Rachel Belle dishes with the New York native about being a gay icon, how she uses her celebrity to advocate for important causes, and why Fran was the first guest to object to sharing her last meal. We also dig into the habits of picky eaters. Rachel talks to a woman who has never let a vegetable pass her lips, and chats with Stephanie Lucianovic, author of Suffering Succotash: A Picky Eater's Quest to Understand Why We Hate the Foods We Hate. To support the Cancer Schmancer movement visit www.cancerschmancer.org. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, June 14, 2017
Kevin Allison, Rare Steak and a Martini
Kevin Allison (Risk!, MTV's The State) is a freaking delight. Whether it's his infectious laughter, his willingness to be honest no matter the cost, or a shared love of eating Doritos with milk, Rachel may have found her new best friend. And we think you will too! Exclamation point! On the latest YLM, we learn about Kevin's early life as a gay kid in Ohio, explore his imperfect veganism, and in honor of Risk! , Rachel and Producer Aaron share stories about some of the weird & risky foods they've eaten. Rachel also talks to "Cocktail Evangelist" Robert Hess about the history of, and how one should make, the perfect martini. (HINT: James Bond has it all wrong.) Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Thu, June 01, 2017
Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Lobster
Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson is a celebrity astrophysicist, Director of The Hayden Planetarium in NYC, host of "Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey" and the "Star Talk" radio show, and the guy we love to blame for Pluto not being a planet anymore. On this episode of YLM, Rachel talks with one of the greatest scientific voices of our time about his love of melted butter, the time he almost became a stripper, and what foods Neil would take with him if he could travel to space. Speaking of space travel, former NASA Astronaut & Hubble Space Telescope repairman Mike Massimino tells Rachel all about eating in zero gravity, the last meal he ate before his first shuttle launch, and what food options are available for a crew orbiting Earth. Thanks also to lobster expert Barton Seaver, author of "For Cod and Country." Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, May 17, 2017
Mother's Day Special: Rachel's Mom Barbara
Happy Mother's Day! To celebrate, we took a little time to talk to the woman responsible for bringing our beloved Rachel Belle into the world: her mom, Barbara. From the streets of Brooklyn, to digging through another Barbra (Streisand)'s garbage in LA, Barbara's life has never been boring. And speaking of moms, how 'bout that placenta?! Rachel talks to Heather Woskey of Seattle Placenta Encapsulation about the practice of mothers eating their placenta. (It's put into pills, so it's not as gross as it sounds. Unless you're already totally grossed out, then it might not get that much better...) Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, May 03, 2017
Augusten Burroughs: Brunswick Stew
New York Times Bestselling author Augusten Burroughs has written several deeply personal memoirs including "Running with Scissors," "Dry," and his newest "Lust & Wonder." Host Rachel Belle also talks with the delightful "Queen of the Cooking Infomercial" Cathy Mitchell (Dump Cakes!), and gets stuck between two warring sides over the hotly-debated origins of Brunswick Stew: a traditional dish in the American South created in either Brunswick, Georgia or Brunswick County, Virginia, depending on who you ask. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, April 18, 2017
Heart's Ann Wilson: KFC
Ann Wilson is widely considered one of the best vocalists in rock and roll history. On this week's YLM, she dishes about her favorite karaoke jams and her love for Kentucky Fried Chicken. Host Rachel Belle chats with Lori Eberenz, at KFC HQ in Kentucky, to learn the incredible true story of Colonel Sanders - a journey he began in his 60s while on social security. AND Rachel cooks and eats her first beef heart (get it?! "heart") with Crowd Cow founder, Ethan Lowry. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, April 04, 2017
"Top Chef" winner Brooke Williamson: Doughnuts
Top Chef Season 14 winner Brooke Williamson talks about life behind the scenes on Rachel's favorite reality TV show, how much of the improvised cooking is truly off the cuff, and the simple joys of dough. Of course you can't talk about donuts without mentioning their biggest fans: Cops. So we've got three of Seattle's finest in-studio for a taste-test of their favorite beat treats. We get to the bottom of the (apparently true?) stereotype, and learn about the muddled history - and spelling - of America's favorite confection. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, March 22, 2017
Sir Mix-A-Lot: Texas Redfish Pontchartrain
2017 marks the 25th anniversary of Sir Mix-A-Lot's monster hit "Baby Got Back." (I know, right?!) Rachel asks the rapper/producer about his iconic tribute to tush, what the song really means, and why it was good getting banned from MTV. OH, BUT THE FOOD! YLM goes down to Louisiana to uncover the difference between Cajun and Creole (cuisine and culture) from Chef & TV host John Folse, author of The Encyclopedia of Cajun & Creole Cuisine, and Louisiana Eats' Poppy Tooker. Rachel also talks to Georgea Pappas, daughter of the founder of Pappadeux: the home of Texas Redfish Ponchartrain and a favorite of Hip Hop's finest. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, March 08, 2017
Dan Pashman: Anything Wrapped in a Flour Tortilla
Dan Pashman's podcast "The Sporkful" is one of Rachel's favorite shows and one of the most popular food podcasts on iTunes. On this week's YLM, Dan schools us on the most delicious way to eat pizza and burgers and explains why his six-and-a-half year old daughter is a better dinner date than his wife. Plus, the history of the tortilla with Jeffrey Pilcher, author of Planet Taco, and prepare to get hungry as we break down the Phorrito (pho + burrito!!) invented by Chef Erwin Tjahyadi at Komodo in Los Angeles. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, February 21, 2017
Dawn Wells: Wild Duck & Wild Rice
Known to millions as "Mary Ann," one of Gilligan's Island's seven iconic castaways, Dawn Wells is a television legend. So sit right back, and you'll hear a tale - a tale of Dawn's nostalgic past, a philosophy professor's take on the ethics of eating animals, and food facts from a precocious 9 year-old Ginger on this episode of YLM. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, February 07, 2017
The Oatmeal's Matthew Inman: Sushi
Matthew Inman's "The Oatmeal" is one of the most popular webcomics on the entire internet. His game "Exploding Kittens" holds the record for the most successful Kickstarter game campaign of all time ($8.8m of its $10k goal!), so for his last meal we had to bring in the big guns... Have you seen "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" about 91 year-old Jiro Ono, Japan's greatest sushi chef? His apprentice Shiro Kashiba was the man who brought sushi to Seattle, and he joins Host Rachel Belle in-studio to tell us about the history of sushi, the proper way to enjoy Matthew's final dish, and why he's still working 5 nights a week at his restaurant Sushi Kashiba at Seattle's Pike's Place Market. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, January 24, 2017
Nancy Pearl: Mac & Cheese
Celebrity Librarian (yes - that's a thing), and regular contributor to NPR's Morning Edition Nancy Pearl is one of Rachel's favorite people. And she isn't your average librarian: She's been made into an action figure, had a bluegrass band named after her, and her best-selling Book Lust series has helped millions of people discover their new favorite stories. Nancy's choice for last meal is as classic as a dusty old tome: good ol' macaroni and cheese. We'll learn the history of one of America's most beloved dishes. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, January 10, 2017
Jesse Sandoval: Paella
Former drummer of The Shins, and current hatch green chile impresario, Jesse Sandoval joins host Rache Belle to discuss bringing New Mexico's much-loved pepper to the masses, the band's fallout with fans after "selling-out" in a McDonald's ad, and with which Golden Girl would Jesse most like to eat cheesecake with. We learn about Jesse's last meal with 3rd-generation Valencian paella chef Perfecte Rocher (who LA Weekly called the best paella chef in Los Angeles), and we get the history of saffron - a key ingredient in the dish and one of the most expensive spices on Earth! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Wed, December 14, 2016
Prodigy: Korean BBQ
Legendary East Coast rapper Prodigy (Mobb Deep) served over 3 years in prison, but because of his sickle cell disease, had to eat well or he'd be painfully ill. The prison food, as you can guess, wasn't exactly full of vitamins. So, he wrote "Commissary Kitchen: My Infamous Prison Cookbook," with dozens of recipes he and his fellow inmates would cook with foods available to them on the inside. Host Rachel Belle also talks with Death Row Chef Brian D. Price, author of "Meals to Die For," who has cooked 218 last meals in Texas for condemned inmates before they banned last meals in 2011. He's got some amazing stories, and is trying to get the practice reinstated. Also on YLM this week, Matt Rodbard, author of "Koreatown: A Cookbook," and Rachel makes & eats a dish from Prodigy's cookbook called Prison Surprise! Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, November 29, 2016
Mario Batali: Coastal Italian Feast
You know Mario Batali. His passion for Italian cuisine made him one of the most recognizable celebrity chefs in the world. Well... that and his signature orange Crocs. Join Rachel as she mambos Italiano with "Molto Mario" from his humble beginnings in Washington State to cooking for President Obama's final State Dinner. And speaking of the White House, Rachel gets unique insight into the kitchens at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue from former White House chef John Moeller whose tenure spanned both Bush's and the Clinton's presidencies. This week's YLM also includes advice on how to become the best chef you can be, and profiles the history of America's first celebrity chef: fellow Italian-American Chef Boyardee. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, November 15, 2016
Christopher Kimball, Apple Pie
Christopher Kimball is the founder of Emmy-winning America's Test Kitchen, Cook's Illustrated magazine, and Christopher Kimball's Milk Street. Mr. Kimball is old-school, and on this episode of YLM, Rachel digs into everything from table manners to his Rockwellian choice for last meal. We learn the history of apple pie, which apples make the best pie, and that there more passionate opinions about how to make this delicious treat than you knew existed - a la mode, anyone? Thanks to author, illustrator, and adorable person Jesse Oleson Moore from cakespy.com; poet and pie expert (she was an Iowa State Fair Pie Contest judge!) Kate Lebo of katelebo.com. Also, Rebecca Loions, International Marketing Director at The Washington State Apple Commission. Original music by Prom Queen. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, November 01, 2016
Dan Savage: Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich
Dan Savage is an author, journalist, LGBTQ activist, and media pundit. From his internationally syndicated sex-advice column "Savage Love," to his massively popular podcast "Savage Lovecast," Dan is never afraid to speak his mind. On this week's YLM, Rachel talks to Dan about food, sex, food during sex, food after sex... and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. We've got a special treat this episode! Since it's our last show before the big election, we've got a presidential-style debate about Dan's (and America's) favorite food that you don't want to miss. Special thanks to Cathy Johnson from the National Peanut Board. Original music by Prom Queen. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, October 18, 2016
Mara Wilson: San Francisco Mission Style Burrito
Mara Wilson, the little girl from Mrs. Doubtfire, Matilda, and Miracle on 34th Street, is all grown up. But what's she been up to? Writing articles, plays, and books - including her new memoir Where Am I Now? True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame - and dreaming of her last meal: A San Francisco Mission Style Burrito Host Rachel Belle consults author, ¡ Ask a Mexican ! columnist and burrito authority Gustavo Arellano, and FiveThirtyEight.com writer and ultimate burrito bracketeer, Anna Maria Barry-Jester, to find out everything she can about her and Mara's favorite food. Original music by Prom Queen. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, October 04, 2016
Luke Burbank: Xiao Long Bao
Luke Burbank is the host of the podcast TBTL, the NPR radio show and podcast Live Wire, is a panelist on Wait Wait Don't Tell Me , and reporter for CBS Sunday Morning . Host Rachel Belle goes to Din Tai Fung, where folks wait in long lines for soup dumplings, to learn how they make Luke's last meal. And she talks to professors at both Harvard and MIT about the psychology and economy of waiting in line. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, September 20, 2016
Quincy Jones: Caesar Salad
Episode 4 is chock full of surprises - especially for Rachel! Don't miss this special episode of YLM as Rachel talks with hilarious, albeit confusingly-named, comedian Quincy Jones who is living with terminal cancer. Quincy shares how his appearance on Ellen led to a stand-up special on HBO, his strong opinions on cereal, and Rachel talks to the granddaughter of the man who created the Caesar Salad. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, September 06, 2016
Jillian Michaels: Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
Inspirational fitness guru and admitted former "fat kid" Jillian Michaels confesses the secret food cravings that would comprise her gluttonous last meal. If we tell you one of her selections is Ben & Jerry's ice cream, that won't spoil the whole meal, right? Great! Find out the practical joke behind the creation of Chubby Hubby ice cream and meet a real-life couple who share the same names as the iconic ice cream makers on this week's YLM. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, August 23, 2016
Chris Ballew: Macaroni & Butter
Chris Ballew is best known as a 90s rocker (President of the United States!) and for children's music that adults actually like (Caspar Babypants) & today he talks comfort foods and vegetarianism. This episode of YLM also features Chris Roberts, author of Heavy Words Lightly Thrown: The Reason Behind the Rhyme , and James Beard Award-winning author of A Mediterranean Feast Cliff Wright. Original music by Prom Queen. Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, August 09, 2016
Tom Douglas: Dungeness Crab Feast
On the debut episode of YLM, Rachel asks her titular question of James Beard award-winner & Seattle's most popular chef Tom Douglas. Not only does Tom know his last meal, he already has a menu planned for his wake! Featuring "Fortune Cookie Chronicles" author Jennifer 8 Lee, Seattle restaurateur Taylor Hoang, and "Deadliest Catch" Captain Keith Colburn. Original music by Prom Queen Follow along on Instagram ! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Tue, August 02, 2016
Trailer: Your Last Meal
What would your last meal be? On this twice-monthly show, Rachel Belle will ask her guest this question - but that's only the beginning! Check out this trailer to find out what you can expect on this new podcast from KIRO Seattle. Original music by Prom Queen. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information. Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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