Silverbrow on Food

David Sax podcast

As flagged yesterday, I got to speak to David Sax tonight and you can listen to the podcast below. 

He is undoubtedly committed to the cause of saving the deli and his recipe isn't so complex: stick to doing the basics of deli food and do it better than anyone else.  Whether that is sufficient to overcome the almost non-existent margins in serving sandwiches stuffed a foot high with expensive meat, is questionable.

Nonetheless, it's tempting to give it a go.  Which is why I want to make special mention of Daniel Young, a man similarly on a mission who will be selling freshly made latkes tomorrow at Covent Garden Market.  He's a mensch, go and support him.

Returning to my interview with David, I should apologise to him and you for the pretty piss-poor sound quality.  Blame Skype.  Next time I won't do a skype-to-skype call for these purposes.  Thankfully though he sounds better than I do.

Forthcoming podcast with David Sax, Save the Deli

I'm interviewing David Sax tomorrow, author of Save the Deli, the blog and book. 

He is a man posessed by the delights of pastramis, knishes, kishkas and the like.  He is a man who can spot the best schmaltz at a 100 yards and have talmudic discussions about the best rub for pastrami. 

I hadn't fully appreciated what a US phenomenon deli actually is.  It is about old world, Eastern European Jewish cooking rather than kosher food per se, an important distinction and one I want to talk to him about more tomorrow.

I've found his single-minded crusade fascinating and sobering.  I've long held a dream of opening up a deli and his account is a helpful reality check.

Related articles by Zemanta

• One-man fight to save Jewish delis (thejc.com)
• Scene @ David Sax's Save the Deli Party (mediabistro.com)

Shaun Hill interview & podcast

I had intended that I'd record my interview with Shaun, write it up and just put snippets of our chat as recordings on the site.

However, I enjoyed the call so much, and he's so brilliantly frank about himself and other chefs, that I've decided instead to leave it in his voice, not mediated by me at the keyboard and let you listen to our chat in its entirety.  

A couple of apologies up front: the sound at my end is a bit rubbish and I waffle at the start, but I think I pick up the pace eventually.

I was intrigued to learn about the history of the iconic Walnut Tree.  I hadn't realised that Corbin and King were once involved, nor the truly dire consequences of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares. I was sadly oblivious until tonight of Bill Baker, However, I was heartened to hear Shaun is keen to continue writing.  (Although The Merchant House Cookbook is sadly out of print, you can get it from the ever excellent Gardener & Cook.) 

I was also particularly pleased to hear that he hasn't changed his guiding principle that restraint and simplicity of execution are essential and his views on the science of food.

He lays into the odd person as well, which makes for entertaining listening if nothing else.

I haven't done a podcast for a while, so as a quick reminder, you can listen to it either on the site or in iTunes, where you can subscribe to this and previous podcasts.

I just hope it lives up to expectations.

Shaun Hill interview postponed

Unfortunately I've had to postpone my interview with Shaun until next Wednesday - I've had a real life/non-blog issue cause a clash.  All being well, it will definitely be next week.

Forthcoming interview with Shaun Hill

I'm very excited to be able to say that next week I'm interviewing Shaun Hill, chef of the revered Walnut Tree. 

He's something of an icon for me.  I think of him as the father of great British food, his brothers in arms including Rowley Leigh, Alistair Little and Simon Hopkinson, his bastard children Marco Pierre White and Fergus Henderson.

Please let me know if you've got any questions you think I should ask.  The interview is taking place on Wednesday.

Claudia Roden podcast

I was delighted to be able to speak tonight to Claudia Roden. She is an exceptionally friendly and gracious lady who has a fantastic knowledge and love of the food she writes about.

Listen to the podcast to learn about Claudia's next book on the food world's favourite country; to hear what happened when Irish and Jewish cuisines mingled the East End and why I can thank the marketing nous of doyens (sic?) Elizabeth David and Jane Grigson for one of my favourite cookbooks.

Click below to listen.

Forthcoming podcast: Claudia Roden

I am delighted that after a short hiatus my podcasts are back. I am particularly delighted that Claudia Roden will be my subject. She is a prolific author with a self-evident passion for the food she is writing about. For me what sets her writing apart, is the social history that peppers her books and adds meaningful colour to well written and researched journalists.

My particular favourites are her Book of Jewish Food: An Odyssey from Samarkand and Vilna to the Present Day and The Food of Italy.

If you have got any questions you would like me to ask her, email me or leave a comment below, by Monday afternoon, UK time.