Paradise Off the Coast of Panama Just 12 miles off the coast of Panama City, Isla Taboga is a tranquil tropical respite from the bustle of the rapidly growing metropolis. Hop on the ferry from Amador Causeway, take the less-than-an-hour scenic trip through the Bay of Panama to the small one-road island littered with beach shacks and leisure-seeking… Read More →
My Favorite Cooking Tunes Music is always playing when I’m in the kitchen. What I listen to varies, but the playlist I’m sharing today is my perfect catch-all for spending time behind the burners. It’s an eclectic mix of genres, of new and throwback tunes… Holly Williams to Talking Heads to The Jayhawks. Listen here or, if you… Read More →
Don’t Forget the Oil Spray oil is really handy for both cleaning your grill and for applying a thin coat of oil to the grill grates before you put a piece of fish or chicken down. I use PAM Cooking Spray or canola oil all of the time when I’m grilling. I usually give a… Read More →
How to Win Your Next Dinner Party Maybe you’re the shy type who freaks at the idea of striking up conversation at an intimate dinner with strangers; maybe you’ve been hiking the Appalachian trail for the past few months and need a refresher course on culture and current events; or maybe you’re just a food-obsessed… Read More →
Congratulations JBF Award Winners! As always, I had a fantastic time at the annual James Beard Foundation Awards, the nation’s most prestigious awards ceremony honoring professionals in the food and beverage biz. I’m so proud to be a part of this amazing organization that works hard on education, agriculture issues, food insecurity and hunger relief. You… Read More →
One of the Best Meals in Dubai Dubai is the wealthiest and most populous of the seven United Arab Emirates. In just two short decades, it’s grown into a modern metropolis with man-made islands, shopping centers with indoor ski slopes and the world’s tallest skyscraper. But scratch beneath the surface and you’ll find a vibrant… Read More →
A Technical Wizard Corey Lee is one of the most talented chefs in America. He’s a master technician and a creative wunderkind, cooking on a different level than almost anyone else in the country. Dinner at his three Michelin star San Francisco restaurant Benu is an unrivaled experience—a tasting menu comprised of a cuisine unique… Read More →
O Canada! Rap Session This week Andrew and Molly trade stories about the time Andrew got stuck at a Canadian airport, the Austin Food and Wine demo no one will forget, Andrew’s lawyer’s hippie dance and more. Plus, Andrew speaks a bit about alcoholism and chemical dependency. Go Fork Yourself will be taking a short hiatus.… Read More →
A Parisian Staple By Bob & Sue Parisians have loved Bernard Pacaud’s food since this Michelin three-star restaurant opened on the Place Vogues in 1986. L’Ambroisie offers a unique dining experience with delicious traditional French cuisine cooked by a master chef and supported by superlative service in an elegant setting with tapestries. Our recent visit was… Read More →
The Undisputed Master of Porchetta Just 15 miles outside of Rome in the outlying town of Marino, I found the butcher shop and deli of my dreams. Open since 1912, Il Norcino Bernabei is a family operation, run by Vitaliano Bernabei, his wife and son. For the past century, it’s been regarded as the finest meat… Read More →
On the Road Again Just Checking In Andrew and Molly are both on the road, so they gave each other a call to check in this week. They talk about Molly’s road trip to Vermont, Andrew’s media adventures in New York, and they take a little time to smack talk Gary, Indiana. Questions We want… Read More →
Champagne Country By Bob & Sue During our recent trip to Paris, we took the high-speed TGV train to Champagne country for a lunch at 2014’s only new Michelin three-star restaurant, L’Assiette Champenois. The brilliant young chef Arnauld Lallement is carrying on the family tradition of thoughtful and creative food served in a friendly environment. The… Read More →
America’s Leading Pitmaster Aaron Franklin cooked his first brisket in 2002. After seven years of practice, he opened a food truck with his wife Stacy, though a few glowing reviews resulted in long lines and a move to a brick-and-mortar location on Austin’s east side just a year later. Today, Franklin and his crew serve… Read More →
Taipei’s Best Xiao Long Bao The Shanghai-style soup dumplings, or xiao long bao, at Din Tai Fung have a cult following like no other. A refugee of China’s civil war, Yang Bing-yi opened the original location on Taipei’s east side in the 70s. A couple decades later, the New York Times named the dumpling house as… Read More →
Under the Radar Unsung Heroes Andrew tells us where the hottest travel spot in the next five years will be, Molly digs in to the nomination process for the James Beard Awards, and they discuss under-the-radar chefs. Plus, Andrew remembers Hamaro Cantu. This episode is sponsored by: Find out how to get a free sampler… Read More →
Almaty’s Immense Food Emporium Almaty is Kazakhstan’s biggest city, and while there are signs of Western influence and consumer culture, this bustling metropolis gets its strongest sense of identity from its nomadic ancestors and their traditions. One of the best places to witness this heritage and to try the authentic flavors of Central Asia is Almaty’s… Read More →
Amazing Shashlik in Almaty In Kazakhstan’s biggest city, there are hundreds of places to eat shashlik (grilled skewered meats), but the best we found were at the extremely popular Shashlik on Kirova. The level of attention and care that went into this food was unreal. The owner oversees every part of the process, starting with… Read More →
Old Standbys & New Additions at Target Field Home of the Twins, Target Field is a beautiful stadium in the heart of downtown Minneapolis. In just a few years, they’ve really amped up the food program, now offering a host of good eats and craft beverages from local restaurants, breweries and distilleries. So I’d suggest… Read More →
Positivity Hopeful Future From unnecessary lawsuits to Indiana’s “Religious Freedom” law, Andrew and Molly discuss the need for positivity and healing in how we interact with each other. Plus, Andrew and Molly share some of their favorite contemporary cookbooks. Read: What Indiana’s Shifting ‘Religious Freedom’ Law Really Means for LGBT Diners (Eater) This episode is sponsored by:… Read More →
The Votes Are In! Hosted by yours truly and an expert panel of 43 in-the-know culinary experts, the 2015 Munchies: People’s Choice Food Awards recognize the best-of-the-best in the food biz. After more than five weeks of competition and hundreds of thousands of votes, Tablespoon.com reveals the 2015 winners in 20 different categories, from terrific tastemakers to top food… Read More →
Minnesota Restaurants Supporting Local Farms I love all four seasons, but there are few greater things in life than the first days of a Minnesota spring. We love celebrating another winter survived, and if you’re anything like me, food plays a huge role. I can’t wait until restaurants unveil their spring menus, teeming with fresh… Read More →
Simon Majumdar Fed, White & Blue Simon Majumdar, author and Food Network stalwart, talks about the importance of breaking bread, how he got to where he is today, and his journey to create his new American family. Discover: SimonMajumdar.com Read: Fed, White and Blue by Simon Majumdar Adopt: Warren! Find out more about him on Hey… Read More →
Big Gay Ice Cream Returns Most Likely To… Bryan Petroff and Doug Quint of Big Gay Ice Cream join Andrew and Molly to talk about their new book, their “business plan,” and who has the best hair in food. PreOrder: Big Gay Ice Cream Book by Bryan Petroff & Doug Quint Listen: Check out @bethkgibbs on… Read More →
Doing His Part to Eradicate Lionfish John Mirabella is on a mission to bring attention to the devastating lionfish invasion in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. With no natural predators in this part of the world beyond humans, the rapidly growing populations may be one of the biggest environmental disasters these waters… Read More →
Food Forward Future of Food What Andrew learned at South By Southwest, why great chefs go under the radar, and why not all restaurants are created equal when it comes to restaurant reviews. Questions We want to include your listener questions in upcoming podcasts. If you want to ask Andrew & Molly a question, call… Read More →
In the Valley By Bob & Sue With “food churches” Meadowood and The French Laundry temporarily closed, we enjoyed comfort food at many of Napa’s popular restaurants: Cindy Pawlcyn’s Mustards Grill (Yountville) and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen (St. Helena) define modern California cuisine in fun environments with wonderful soups, a wide variety of appetizers, and innovative tweaks to the… Read More →
My next Quarterly box drops in just a few weeks. I’m thrilled with how it’s shaping up. I love surprises, but suck at keeping a secret, so when Quarterly said it was fine if I let a cat out of the bag this time around, I couldn’t wait. As a part of my #ZIM05 box,… Read More →
Leah Cohen Pig & Khao Chef Leah Cohen of Pig & Khao and Top Chef talks about life after being on television, ethnicity and authenticity, and New York’s “cool club.” Find: Leah Cohen on Twitter, @chefleahcohen Read: Go to the Grand Canyon Now! (Hey Eleanor!) Questions We want to include your listener questions in upcoming podcasts. If… Read More →
Stephanie March Just Start Stephanie March, senior Food & Dining editor of Mpls St Paul Magazine, joins us this week to talk about the restaurant review process, how to get an awesome food job, and why there were no women on the cover of “The Best Restaurants” issue. Questions We want to include your listener… Read More →
Pig in the Stable The Cochon 555 weekend takeover kicked off with a Chef’s Course Dinner at Spoon and Stable last Friday—a seated five-course meal prepared by host chef Gavin Kaysen, Steven Brown, Erik Anderson, Doug Flicker, Diane Yang and yours truly. An amazing group of local chefs that have made this city’s food scene what… Read More →
