WNYC's Leonard Lopate Show

Please Explain: Pasta

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 14:47:14 -0400

Pasta is a staple of Italian food, but noodles are also an important part of Asian cuisine. Pasta is versatile, comes in hundreds of shapes and sizes, and on this week’s Please Explain we’ll find out how it’s made and ways to cook with it. Joining us: Ron Palladino, pasta expert and Fresh Pasta counter general manager at Eataly, and Jack Bishop, editorial director of America’s Test Kitchen and author of several cookbooks, including The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook, Pasta e Verdura, and the editor of Pasta Revolution.

The Art of Food Styling

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:53:08 -0400

Food stylist Roscoe Betsill shares the tricks of his trade and explains what food stylists do to make foods look fresh and delicious in photographs.

Danny Meyer on Staff Meals at His Restaurants

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:50:55 -0400

Danny Meyer, of Union Square Cafe, Gramercy Tavern, Maialino, Blue Smoke, The Modern, and more, talks about the food that the chefs make for one another—the staff “family meal.” It is simple, often improvised, but special enough to please the chefs’ discerning palates. In Family Table: Favorite Staff Meals from Our Restaurant to Your Home, the restaurants’ culinary director, Michael Romano, coauthor of the award-winning Union Square Cafe Cookbook, collects and refines his favorite in-house dishes for the home cook, while served Karen Stabiner shares stories about how this imaginative array of dishes came to be.

Recipe: Danny Meyer’s Roasted Asparagus Gratin

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:43:03 -0400

4 to 6 servings

Asparagus usually makes its first appearance at the Union Square Greenmarket in late April, at which point Danny Meyer’s family embarks on an almost nightly celebration until the season ends about two months later. This simple asparagus gratin is a favorite in the Meyer household—it goes well with everything, especially grilled veal chops, salmon, chicken, or steak.

1 pound medium asparagus, tough ends snapped off
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Arrange the asparagus lengthwise, tips pointing in the same direction, in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over the asparagus and shake the dish to coat the stalks evenly. Season with salt and pepper and shake again.

Roast the asparagus, shaking the pan 2 or 3 times to redistribute the stalks, until crisp-tender, about 15 minutes (longer for thicker stalks). Remove from the oven and preheat the broiler.

Spread the mayonnaise evenly over the asparagus, then sprinkle with the cheese. Broil, watching closely, until the top has browned, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve.

Recipe: Buttermilk Panna Cotta with Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

6 servings

This silky vanilla-flavored Italian custard, which uses buttermilk for a slightly tangy flavor, is the perfect companion to a sweet and tart rhubarb and strawberry compote. The compote, in turn, is excellent as well with yogurt or ice cream.

Cristina Nastasi, a pastry cook at the Museum of Modern Art cafes, came up with the combination because there was plenty of rhubarb on hand and she had a free moment. For someone who’s been baking ever since she can remember and whose e-mail moniker includes the word “sugar,” making a new dessert is more fun than taking a break.

2 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups buttermilk
Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote (recipe follows)

In a small bowl, sprinkle the gelatin over ½ cup of the cream. Let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.

Bring the remaining ½ cup cream, the sugar, and vanilla to a simmer in a saucepan over medium-high heat, whisking to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and let cool for 1 minute, then whisk in the cream-gelatin mixture until the gelatin dissolves. Stir in the buttermilk.

Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup. Divide the mixture among six 4-ounce ramekins or pour into a small serving bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 5 hours, until set. (Well-wrapped, the panna cotta will keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.)

Run a sharp knife around the edges of the ramekins and unmold the panna cotta onto plates, or serve it right in the ramekins or scoop out of the bowl. Top with the fruit compote.

Rhubarb-Strawberry Compote

About 3 cups

1/2 cup sugar
4 cups thinly sliced rhubarb
2 cups quartered hulled strawberries

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

Combine the sugar and ½ cup water in a small saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Remove from the heat.

Combine the rhubarb and sugar syrup in a 9-x-13-inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, until the rhubarb is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the strawberries, stir, and bake for 5 minutes longer, until the strawberries have softened. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until ready to use. (The compote will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 1 week.)

Recipe: Union Square Cafe Fried Chicken

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

4 to 6 servings

What distinguishes this fried chicken is the crunch from two ingredients that don’t usually appear together in a recipe—Japanese panko bread crumbs, which are coarser and crunchier than standard ones, and graham cracker crumbs, which lend a slightly sweet, nutty flavor to the crust. Add a little bit of heat and garlic for balance, and you have one of Union Square Cafe’s most beloved family meal dishes, as interpreted by line cook Ian “Moose” Muse from his mother’s original recipe.

1 3- to 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 10 pieces (legs, thighs, wings, and breasts split and halved again; back reserved for stock if desired)
2 cups buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Put the chicken pieces in a large bowl, add the buttermilk, and let soak for 30 minutes at room temperature, turning occasionally.

Combine the flour, crumbs, paprika, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne in a medium bowl, mixing well. Drain the chicken pieces and dredge in the seasoned flour, shaking off the excess.

In a large deep cast-iron skillet, heat about 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat until it reaches 325 degrees on a deep-fat thermometer. Using tongs, carefully add the chicken pieces in batches, without crowding. Cook wings for 6 minutes and the rest of the chicken pieces for 8 minutes. Turn with the tongs and cook on the second side for another 6 minutes for wings, 8 minutes for the rest, or until the interior temperature of a thigh reaches 165 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the chicken from the oil and drain on paper towels; bring the oil back to 325 degrees before you fry each batch.

Serve immediately.

Recipe: Seared Short Rib Wraps

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 08:00:00 -0400

4 to 6 servings

Thinly sliced Korean barbecue is piled into lettuce wraps and served with fresh and pickled vegetables. Making the marinade and slicing the beef take just 15 minutes the night before, and the beef can marinate for 1 to 24 hours, whatever works best with your schedule. You might want to invest a little more time and make a double batch, because the marinated beef freezes beautifully, which means that you can have an almost instant home-cooked meal when you want to serve the dish again.

Either way, it’s a fast and flavorful alternative to more familiar preparations, one that cooks in less time than it takes to set the table.

For the marinade

2 tablespoons Korean chili powder or red pepper flakes
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar, or more to taste
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or more to taste
5 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon chopped peeled fresh ginger
1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
1 bunch scallions, sliced
2 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs

For the wraps

12–18 Bibb lettuce leaves
About 1/2 cup Chinese black bean paste (optional)
Cooked white rice
Thinly sliced peeled carrots
Thinly sliced peeled daikon radish
Store-bought kimchi or sliced sour pickles

To make the marinade: Combine all the ingredients except the scallions in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in the scallions. Adjust the sugar and/or soy sauce to taste if necessary.

Slice the short ribs across the grain into thin strips, about ¹⁄³ inch thick. Stir the beef into the marinade and mix well. (The beef can be refrigerated, tightly covered, for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours, or frozen for up to 1 month.)

Bring the meat to room temperature before cooking. In a large nonstick skillet, sear the meat, in batches, over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes on each side until browned and medium-rare.

To assemble the wraps: Spread each lettuce leaf with a small amount of bean paste, if using. Fill with some rice, vegetables, kimchi, and beef, fold into a package, arrange on a platter, and serve.

Food Styling; Danny Meyer on Staff Meals, Please Explain Pasta

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 17 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Today is the final episode of our Food Fridays series! First, we’ll find out what food stylists do to make food look good on film. Then Danny Meyer tells us about the staff meal traditions in his great restaurants. And this week’s Please Explain is all about pasta!

Comedian Jim Gaffigan: Dad Is Fat

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:48:48 -0400

Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan examines all the joys and horrors of life with his five young children and talks about his comedy career. His new book, Dad Is Fat, is reminiscent of Bill Cosby’s Fatherhood, and is a humorous cry for help from a man who has realized he and his wife are outnumbered in their own home.

Alan Cumming in "Macbeth"

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:47:53 -0400

Alan Cumming discusses his acclaimed one-man production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” The action is set in a clinical room deep within a dark psychiatric hospital. Cumming is the lone patient, reliving the infamous story and inhabiting each role himself. “Macbeth” is playing at the Ethel Barrymore Theater and has been extended through July 14.

"Colin Quinn Unconstitutional"

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:46:46 -0400

Colin Quinn talks about “Colin Quinn Unconstitutional,” a new comedy written that he wrote and stars in. On May 25, 1787, 55 delegates in wigs and tights sat down to create a country from scratch. Quinn offers his unique comedic perspective on our national character, from predator drones to the Kardashians, and he asks if this is what the founding fathers planned. It opens at The Barrow Street Theatre May 16.

Guest Picks: Jim Gaffigan

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:41:24 -0400

Comedian Jim Gaffigan was on the Leonard Lopate Show recently to talk about his book, Dad Is Fat, and the ups and downs of being the father of 5 young kids. He also told us which Ben Folds song every dad should listen to. Find out what it is!

What have you read or seen lately (book, play, film, etc...) that moved or surprised you?

I saw Dead Accounts on Broadway. I liked it, and enjoyed seeing the New York audience not like the play

What are you listening to right now?

Ben Folds' "Still Fighting It." If you are a dad, listen to this song.

What’s the last great book you read?

Anything by Malcolm Gladwell

What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect?

Irish folk music

What’s your favorite comfort food?

All food is comfort food to me.

Guest Picks: Alan Cumming

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:35:22 -0400

Alan Cumming was on the Leonard Lopate Show to talk about his one-man production of "Macbeth." He also told us that the last great book he read was like plant porn. Find out what he's reading, watching and listening to!

What have you read or seen over the past year (book, play, film, etc…) that moved or surprised you?

Ben Rimalowe’s Patti Issues was amazing and totally took me to somewhere I never expected. I couldn’t recommend it more.

What are you listening to right now?

I’m trying to figure out spotify so my tastes are very eclectic. Last night I was loving Australian pop.

What’s the last great book you read?

Gosh. I think it would have to be The Complete Vegetable Gardner’s Bible. It’s like plant porn.

What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect?

I love paper mache. Last year I made a hat and have worn it in public (inside).

What’s your favorite comfort food?

Hummus and pita bread.

Guest Picks: Colin Quinn

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 13:58:58 -0400

Colin Quinn was on the Leonard Lopate Show to talk about his off-Broadway play, "Colin Quinn Unconstitutional." He also told us that he's a fan of Wendy Williams. Find out what else Colin Quinn's a fan of!

What have you read or seen lately (book, play, film, etc...) that moved or surprised you?

"Girls"

What are you listening to right now?

60s bubblegum - Tommy James, etc..

What’s the last great book you read?

A Brilliant Solution by Carol Berkus

What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect?

Wendy Williams

What’s your favorite comfort food?

Joe's Pizza

"The Trip to Bountiful"

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Actress Cicely Tyson, director Michael Wilson, and Hallie Foote (Horton’s daughter) discuss Horton Foote’s “The Trip to Bountiful.” Cicely Tyson plays a woman trapped in a cramped Houston apartment with her soft-spoken son and out-spoken daughter-in-law, dreaming of a return to the small Gulf Coast town of Bountiful, where she grew up and raised her family. Worried that she’s an imposition and longing to escape her daughter-in-law’s watchful eye, she steals away with her latest pension check and heads home in the journey of a lifetime. “The Trip to Bountiful” is playing at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre.

Colin Quinn Unconstitutional; Jim Gaffigan on Fatherhood; Alan Cumming in "Macbeth"; "The Trip to Bountiful"

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 16 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Colin Quinn talks about his new comedy, “Colin Quinn Unconstitutional,” about what our founding fathers might think of our country today. Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan shares stories about fatherhood. Alan Cumming discusses his acclaimed one-man production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth.” And we’ll find out about a new production of Horton Foote’s classic play “The Trip to Bountiful.”

The Documentary “Bidder 70”

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 15 May 2013 13:40:30 -0400

In their documentary “Bidder 70,” Beth Gage and George Gage tell the story of Tim DeChristopher. In 2008, as George W. Bush tried to give the energy and mining industries thousands of acres of pristine Utah wilderness via a widely disputed federal auction, DeChristopher, then a college student bid $1.7 million, and won 22,000 acres with no intention to drill. For this act of civil disobedience he was sent to federal prison, but his actions helped ignite a movement. “Bidder 70” opens May 17 at the Quad.

Dave Bry Makes a Public Apology

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 15 May 2013 12:24:58 -0400

Dave Bry discusses the many things he’s sorry for, and how he’s come to grip with his past and his regrets. In Public Apology: In Which a Man Grapples with a Lifetime of Regret, One Incident at a Time, he writes funny and moving apologies to those he has wronged--to the girl whose ear he sung the last verse of "Stairway to Heaven" into while slow dancing in junior high school to his own father, who he feels more compassionate about now that Bry has become a dad.

Do you have something you want apologize for? Give us a call at 212-433-9692 or leave a comment!

Raymond Sokolov's 40 Years in Food

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Raymond Sokolov became food editor of the New York Times in 1971, and he discusses his long, memorable career as restaurant critic, food historian, and author. In Steal the Menu: A Memoir of Forty Years in Food, he traces the food scene he reported on in America and abroad, from backwoods barbecue shack in Alabama to molecular gastronomy at El Bulli in Spain.

Apologies, Restaurant Reviews, the Documentary "Bidder 70"

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Dave Bry talks about how apologizing to everyone from his date to a junior high school dance to his cancer-stricken father has helped him come to terms with his past. Then, Raymond Sokolov on watching the food world change since 1971, when he was named food editor at the New York Times. And the directors of the documentary “Bidder 70” tell the story of Tim DeChristopher, who was sent to prison after he successfully bid against energy and mining companies to buy 22,000 acres of land in Utah with no intention of drilling on it.

Lauren Graham

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:45:01 -0400

Lauren Graham talks about her career as an actress—from "Gilmore Girls" to "Guys and Dolls" to "Parenthood"—and her new novel, Someday, Someday, Maybe. She shares stories about anxiety and auditions.

Guest Picks: Lauren Graham

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:33:14 -0400

Gilmore Girls star Lauren Graham was on the Leonard Lopate Show to talk about writing her debut novel, Someday, Someday, Maybe. She also told us what's on the playlist she's making for the actors who play her kids on the comedy series Parenthood.

What are you listening to right now?

I’m making a playlist for my tv children of the music I listened to in college (they asked). So I’ve been steeped in Elvis Costello, Billy Bragg, Squeeze and Joni Mitchell.

What’s the last great book you read?

Carol Rifka Brunt’s Tell the Wolves I’m Home

What’s one thing you’re a fan of that people might not expect?

Decorating.

What’s your favorite comfort food?

Toast with Butter

Andrew Revkin's Stroke of Luck

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:28:30 -0400

Reporter Andrew Revkin, who writes the Dot Earth blog for the New York Times, talks about having a stroke 22 months ago. His article "My Stroke of Luck" is in the Science section of today's New York Times.

Jared Cohen on the New Digital Age

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Jared Cohen, the director of Google Ideas and a former adviser to secretaries of state Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton, takes on some of the toughest questions about our future: Who will be more powerful in the future, the citizen or the state? Will technology make terrorism easier or harder to carry out? What is the relationship between privacy and security, and how much will we have to give up to be part of the new digital age? In The New Digital Age: Reshaping the Future of People, Nations and Business, he and Eric Schmidt outline the promise and peril awaiting us in the coming decades.

Actress Lauren Graham, Surviving a Stroke, Jared Cohen on Our Digital Future

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Lauren Graham talks about her acting career and about writing her first novel. New York Times reporter Andrew Revkin talks about having a stroke nearly two years ago. Jared Cohen, director of Google Ideas and a former advisor to both Condoleezza Rice and Hillary Clinton, talks about how new technologies are making us re-evaluate all corners of public and private life.

Photojournalists on Covering the War in Iraq

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:42:00 -0400

Michael Kamber interviewed photojournalists from many leading news organizations to create a comprehensive collection of eyewitness accounts of the Iraq War—Photojournalists on War. He’s joined by photographers Alan Chin and Ashley Gilbertson, who discuss trying to cover the war in Iraq and examine the role of the media and issues of censorship. Photojournalists on War includes previously unpublished photographs by diverse group of the world's top news photographers.

The Philadelphia Chromosome

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 May 2013 10:36:18 -0400

Science journalist Jessica Wapner tells the story of how an accidental discovery of what's called the Philadelphia chromosome was the starting point of modern cancer research In The Philadelphia Chromosome, Wapner reconstructs more than 40 years of crucial breakthroughs based on the chromosome, including successful treatment of cancer at the genetic level.

Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale discuss their new record “Buddy & Jim,” which features newly written songs and several vintage covers. They also talk about “The Buddy & Jim Show”—each week Buddy and Jim invite artists to Buddy’s home studio in Nashville, where they tape performances and interviews with artists and friends.

How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Leslie Woodhead reveals how the music of the Beatles played a major role in waking up an entire generation of Soviet youth, opening their eyes to 70 years of bland official culture and rigid authoritarianism. In How the Beatles Rocked the Kremlin, he writes about how, in the USSR, music fans risked repression to hear the Beatles, and the Beatles and the bands they inspired helped break down the walls of Soviet culture.

The Philadelphia Chromosome; the Beatles in the USSR; Buddy & Jim; Photojournalists on War

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

We’ll hear the story of how the accidental discovery of the Philadelphia chromosome led to the first successful treatment of a cancer on a genetic level three decades later. Leslie Woodhead tells how the Beatles helped to inspire an entire generation of Soviet youth. Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale talk about their new album, “Buddy & Jim.” And Michael Kamber and photojournalists Alan Chin and Ashley Gilbertson talk about covering the Iraq War.

Eat the City

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:49:17 -0400

Robin Shulman, author of Eat the City, talks about the fishers, foragers, butchers, farmers, poultry minders, sugar refiners, beekeepers, winemakers, and brewers—past and present—who’ve made New York City into such a great place for food. She’s joined by Latif Jiji, who transformed his 4-story brick townhouse on the Upper East Side into a vertical winery, and Imran Uddin, who owns a slaughterhouse in Queens that sources naturally raised heritage breeds of chicken, lamb, goat, and other animals for the immigrant community and high-end restaurants.

Please Explain: Olive Oil

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 May 2013 12:25:56 -0400

Lou DiPalo, third-generation expert olive oil importer and the co-owner of Di Palo Fine Foods in New York City, and Nancy Harmon Jenkins, a writer and food historian who’s the author of The New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook, tell us all about olive oil--from its history to to how it's made to its many varieties.

Icelandic Novelist Sjón

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Celebrated Icelandic novelist Sjón has won many international awards and has been compared to Borges, Calvino, and Iceland’s other literary superstar, the Nobel Prize winner Halldór Laxness. His new novel The Whispering Muse is set in 1949, and follows Valdimar Haraldsson, an eccentric Icelander who joins a Danish merchant ship on its way to the Black Sea.

The Love and Wars of Lina Prokofiev

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Simon Morrison reveals the life story of the composer Serge Prokofiev’s wife, Lina. In Lina & Serge: The Love and Wars of Lina Prokofiev, Morrison depicts her as a remarkable woman who fought for survival in the face of unbearable betrayal—she spent eight years in a Soviet gulag—by the irresistibly talented but self-absorbed musician she married.

Food in NY, Lina Prokofiev, Please Exlain Olive Oil, Icelandic Writer Sjón

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Author Robin Shulman, winemaker Latif Jiji, and slaughterhouse owner Imran Uddin on food and making food in NYC. Simon Morrison on the love and wars of Lina Prokofiev. Please Explain is all about olive oil. Icelandic novelist Sjón on The Whispering Muse.

James Salter's Novel All That Is

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:55:46 -0400

PEN/Faulkner winner James Salter talks about his new novel, All That Is , a sweeping, seductive story set in the years after World War II. It’s the story of Philip Bowman, who returns to America from in battles off Okinawa, and finds a position as a book editor. It is a time when publishing is still largely a private affair, and in this world of dinners, deals, and literary careers, Bowman finds that he fits in perfectly. But despite his success, what eludes him is love.

Guest Picks: James Salter

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 17:50:58 -0400

Writer James Salter was on the Leonard Lopate Show recently to talk about his novel, All That Is. He also told us what he's been reading recently.

What have you read or seen lately (book, play, film, etc...) that moved or surprised you?

The Wrong Dog Dream by Jane Vandenburgh. Beautiful moving life story of second marriage, second life.

What are you listening to right now?

Pandora: Mozart, Chopin.

What’s the last great book you read?

I loved Richard Ford's The Sportswriter

What’s your favorite comfort food?

Rice Pudding

Why Wall Street Always Wins

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 11:54:51 -0400

Earlier this week the House Financial Services Committee approved several pieces of legislation which alter the portion of the Dodd-Frank financial reform law that deals with derivatives. Jeff Connaughton, a former investment banker, lobbyist, White House lawyer and Senate aide, talks about the state of Wall Street regulation. He's the author of The Payoff: Why Wall Street Always Wins.

Stolen Tyrannosaurus Skeleton Returns to Mongolia

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 10:42:21 -0400

This week the United States returned a stolen 70-million-year-old Tyrannosaurus skeleton to Mongolia. Dr. Mark Norell, Curator-in-Charge of Paleontology at the American Museum of Natural History, was one of the first people to bring the looted skeleton to the attention of U.S. customs officials, and he'll talk about the skeleton and how it was discovered.

Homeless Families in NYC

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

In January, the city’s homeless population exceeded 50,000, the highest number since the Great Depression. Kim Velsey, New York Observer senior editor, talks about the growing number of homeless families that made up most of the city’s shelter population. She'll be joined by joined by Anne Pierre, a homeless mother Velsey wrote about in her article “The Return of Hooverville,” in the April 29 New York Observer.

Leonard Slatkin on Conducting

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Conductor Leonard Slatkin explains what it is exactly that conductors do for a living. In Conducting Business, he brings this most mysterious of jobs to life for the music lover as well as for the aspiring maestro, and tells tales of some of the most fascinating people in the musical world, including Frank Sinatra, Leonard Bernstein, and John Williams.

Maestro Slatkin is conducting the Detroit Symphony in two concerts as part of the Spring for Music Festival at Carnegie Hall Thursday and Friday. WQXR is broadcasting these concerts live, as well as distributing them nationally.

Homeless Families, What Conductors Do, James Salter's New Novel, Stolen Disosaur Bones, Why Wall Street Wins

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Thu, 09 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

In January, New York City’s homeless population topped 50,000. On today’s show: we’ll look into the increase in homeless families and talk with a woman about how this happened to her. Leonard Slatkin explains what it is that conductors do, from running rehearsals to raising a baton to start a performance. Celebrated writer James Salter talks about his latest novel, All That Is. Plus, we’ll discuss the case of a stolen Tyrannosaurus skeleton, which is being returned to Mongolia.

Word Maven: Patricia T. O'Conner on Mother's Day

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Our word maven Patricia T. O'Conner talks about the apostrophe and Mother's Day. She’ll also answer questions about language and grammar. An updated and expanded third edition of her book, Woe is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, is available in paperback, as is Origins of the Specious, written with Stewart Kellerman.

If you have a question about language and grammar, leave a comment or call us at 212-433-9692!

Frank Rich on Race and the GOP

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

New York writer-at-large Frank Rich discusses the Republican strategy to convince mainstream America that it is still the party of Lincoln, even as it fails to win over black voters. In his article “White Wash,” in the May 13 issue of New York magazine, he looks at how the GOP is attempting to remake its image by spinning its racial history.

Rescuing Italian Art from Nazis

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Robert Edsel talks about the men and women who rescued great Italian art from destruction during WWII. In May 1944 two unlikely American heroes—artist Deane Keller and scholar Fred Hartt—set out from Naples to track billions of dollars of missing art, including works by Michelangelo, Donatello, Titian, Caravaggio, and Botticelli. Edsel tells the story in Saving Italy: The Race to Rescue a Nation’s Treasures from the Nazis.

Southern Cross the Dog: A Novel

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Bill Cheng talks about his novel Southern Cross the Dog. It’s an epic literary debut in which the bonds between three childhood friends are upended by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927. In its aftermath, one young man must choose between the lure of the future and the claims of the past.

Frank Rich on Race and the GOP, Rescuing Italian Art, Bill Cheng's Novel, Patricia T. O'Conner

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Wed, 08 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

New York Magazine’s Frank Rich discusses the Republican Party’s efforts to remake its image in an effort to attract more minority voters. We’ll find out about the American soldiers who rescued some of Italy’s art treasures from destruction by the Nazis during World War II. Bill Cheng discusses his novel, Southern Cross the Dog, about how the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 upends the relationships of three childhood friends. Plus, our word maven Patricia T. O’Conner takes your calls and questions on English language and grammar.

Jaron Lanier Asks Who Owns the Future?

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Jaron Lanier, the father of virtual reality and one of the most influential thinkers of our time, examines the effects network technologies have had on our economy. In his new book Who Owns the Future? he asserts that the rise of digital networks led our economy into recession and decimated the middle class. He looks at why and charts the path toward a new information economy that will stabilize the middle class and allow it to grow.

The Lives of Erich Fromm

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Lawrence J. Friedman talks about Erich Fromm, a political activist, psychologist, psychoanalyst, philosopher, and one of the most important intellectuals of the 20th century. The Lives of Erich Fromm: Love’s Prophet, is the first study of Fromm's influences and achievements, and revisits his most important works.

Nathaniel Philbrick on Bunker Hill

listenerservices@wnyc.org (WNYC, New York Public Radio) — Tue, 07 May 2013 00:00:00 -0400

Nathaniel Philbrick tells the story of the Boston battle that ignited the American Revolution, the Battle of Bunker Hill, the bloodiest battle of the Revolution to come, and the point of no return for the rebellious colonists. In his book Bunker Hill: A City, a Seige, a Revolution, Philbrick brings a fresh perspective to every aspect of the story of the battle that led to the Revolution.