Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Danny Trejo, notorious for his villainous roles, has died on-screen more than any other actor. But in real life, he’s focused on living; he only serves healthy versions of Mexican dishes at Trejo’s Tacos in Los Angeles. Rachel chats with Denise Vallejo, vegan chef/owner of LA's Alchemy Organica, who says the original, pre-colonial Mexican food was practically vegan and completely void of the cheese, tortillas, pork and sugar you see today. Follow Rachel Belle and Your Last Meal on Instagram!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.FollowYour Last Meal on Instagram!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 [email protected] omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 [email protected] with your feedback, stories, and guest suggestions! We would love to hear from you.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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: @yourlastmealpodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.