Your Last Meal with Rachel Belle

Is Josh Groban’s best song about baked beans?  Two foods Josh Groban’s dad turned him onto as a child: pickled and smoked fish and baked beans. So when Bush’s asked Josh to write them a commercial jingle, he took it a step further and composed a semi-autographical baked-bean power ballad! He tells host Rachel Belle the whole story.   Josh learned to cook during the pandemic and developed a soft spot for ugly, misshapen farm produce. So Seattle chef Becky Selengut joins the show to talk about her cookbook Misunderstood Vegetables. Becky wrote it after countless encounters with folks at farmers markets and the grocery store who didn’t know what to do with produce like rutabaga, celery root and burdock.  And Josh shares his last meal, a combination of a favorite childhood treat and a hearty British dinner he fell in love with when he started dating his English girlfriend.   Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Season 2 out now! Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 April 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Danielle Chang, host of Lucky Chow on PBS. And Rachel Belle takes a very special field trip to Seattle’s Mixed Pantry, a beautifully curated specialty foods shop that exclusively sells Asian and Asian American-made products.   On last week’s episode of Your Last Meal, Danielle told Rachel she never goes anywhere without a little vial of high-quality soy sauce in her purse.  So Rachel popped into Mixed Pantry for a soy sauce tasting, a fun activity open to anyone who visits. The shop sells soy sauces from several countries, but the tasting centers around the five standard types of Japanese shoyu, owner Tak Kunimune’s specialty. You’ll learn the difference between mainstream commercial soy sauces and traditional barrel-aged ones; how Kikkoman came to be America’s go-to soy sauce; and Tak’s tips on what to cook with each one.   Then, a lightning round with Danielle Chang! She shares her favorite Chinatown snack (she's a big fan of the neighborhoods around the world), the Asian dessert she always wants for her birthday and so much more. Season Seven of Lucky Chow premieres May 1 on PBS! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Season 2 out now! Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 April 2025

PBS's "Lucky Chow" host, Danielle Chang, has been using food as a tool to promote diversity since her family immigrated from Taiwan to Texas when she was 5, and she eventually turned it into a career! Danielle tells host Rachel Belle which condiment she always keeps in her bag and Your Last Meal listeners call in to confess what flavor enhancers they have sneaked into restaurants, movie theaters and doughnut shops over the years. First Beyoncé sang about having hot sauce in her bag, then Hillary Clinton talked about her spicy stash on the campaign trail. But Emmy-nominated journalist Myra Flynn says the habit of toting hot sauce started out of necessity with enslaved Americans. Season Seven of Lucky Chow premieres May 1 on PBS! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle (Season 2 starts April 3!)! Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 April 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from China Forbes and Timothy Nishimoto from Pink Martini! The Portland, Oregon-based band is taking off on tour this week to celebrate its 30th anniversary. Get tickets here! China and Timothy reveal their perfect birthday cakes, the countries they most enjoy eating in when they’re traveling the world, and what foods they can’t wait to eat when they get back home. Listen to last week’s Your Last Meal episode with Pink Martini! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Season Two premieres today!  Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 April 2025

Pink Martini is celebrating 30 years of global music, and for the band’s pearl anniversary, China Forbes and Timothy Nishimoto dish on oysters (get it?!), the group’s unusual origin story and Thanksgiving dinner. It may be March, but thanks to lead vocalist China Forbes’ last meal, we’re talking turkey! China is very particular about which seven dishes should appear on her Thanksgiving table, so host Rachel Belle consults with a food historian about what was eaten at the very first harvest feast. Pink Martini is a Portland, Oregon-based band, but they sing in 30 languages and have played with more than 70 orchestras in the world’s best concert halls – which means they have eaten their way around the world! Timothy reveals his last meal, a spectacular feast eaten on one of those tours abroad. Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle (Season 2 starts April 3!)! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 March 2025

From pear & blue cheese to bone marrow with bourbon smoked cherries, Salt & Straw has always been experimental, and eager to weave local products and ingredients into their flavors. On this delightful episode, we hear how the highly successful brand got started (the story involves Portlandia, an ice-cream maker from Goodwill and Cheetos), the grossest flavor head ice-cream maker Tyler ever developed and, of course, their last meals – both chose sentimental dishes made by their Grandma Malek. Speaking of grannies, we’ll meet the owner of Enoteca Maria, a Staten Island restaurant where the food is cooked by a rotating cast of grannies from around the world. This month alone, the Nonnas of the World program welcomes women from 12 different countries, eager to share their unfussy homestyle cuisine. It’s hard to imagine a world without ice cream. Food historian Sarah Lohman shares the history of the sweet treat, and says we have Black enslaved Americans to thank for the invention of the creamy, delicious ice cream (and scooping tool!) we know and love today. Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle (Season 2 starts April 3!)! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 March 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Nadia Caterina Munno, known to her 10 million social-media followers as The Pasta Queen, which also happens to be the name of her new Amazon Prime Italian cooking and travel show.  On this bite-sized episode, Nadia reveals her all-time favorite pasta shape, how many times she's been to The Olive Garden and the Roman dish she thinks all Americans should be eating.  Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 March 2025

Nadia Catarina Munno is best known to her 10 million social-media followers as The Pasta Queen, a glamorous, dramatic Italian who crumples her face in ecstasy and throws her fork across the room after slurping up a sauce-slicked noodle. Cooking traditional pasta dishes in her Florida kitchen has earned Nadia two bestselling cookbooks and a new Amazon Prime series, The Pasta Queen. Nadia says she sees a lot of Americans committing unforgivable pasta-cooking crimes, so she created The 10 Commandments of Pasta, a list she shares with host Rachel Belle along with a story about what she ate immediately after giving birth to her third daughter. Nadia comes from a long line of farmers and pasta-makers, but she spent decades bucking family tradition. So we’ll hear from Cara Nicoletti, a 4th-generation butcher who founded Seemore Meats & Veggies so her customers would eat less meat. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Sign up for Rachel's new (free!) Cascade PBS newsletter for more food musings, coming April 2025! Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 March 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from singer/songwriter Kevin Morby.   Kevin grew up in Kansas, and after 15 years of building a successful music career living in the coast’s largest cities, he has returned to his hometown. He tells host Rachel Belle why living in the Midwest can spark creativity, what Kansas City meal should be as famous as its legendary BBQ, and what he and his girlfriend (the musician, Waxahatchee) always eat when they return home from a long tour.   Listen to Kevin on Your Last Meal. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 February 2025

Singer/songwriter Kevin Morby is a peanut butter and jelly man. Like most kids who grew up in the U.S. before peanut-allergy-mania, he loves the classic lunchbox version. But as an adult he’s taken to adding some very unorthodox ingredients like ... scrambled or fried eggs! In this economy?!  You know who else eats a TON of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches? NFL players! Actually, they eat a ton of Uncrustables, and there is data to prove it. Host Rachel Belle interviews the co-creator of Uncrustables to unpack why the world needed a premade PB&J.  And we’ll learn a bit about the history of the PB&J from an expat American journalist who is heartbroken that her England-born children have no interest in her favorite nostalgic sandwich, just like everyone else in the U.K.  Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Follow host Rachel Belle on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 February 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from TV host, chef and author Alton Brown.  Alton famously loathes single-use gadgets, but the one he despises most still has a home in his kitchen drawer. He tells us why. And he shares how he developed a deep love for Jewish deli food as a kid growing up in 1970s Georgia. Seattle chef and restaurateur Tom Douglas joins the show to talk about his special relationship with his late mother's 70 year old stove. And Allen Salkin, author of The Uncensored History of the Food Network tells a juicy behind-the-scenes story about Ina Garten and Martha Stewart.  Listen to last week's episode of Alton on Your Last Meal.  Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 February 2025

Alton Brown hosted Good Eats on the Food Network for 16 seasons, and says Julia Child, Mr. Wizard and Monty Python were his inspirations for the wacky, science-driven TV show he created. He just released his 10th book, Food for Thought: Essays and Ruminations.   Alton famously despises single-use gadgets, but he tells host Rachel Belle about the one item that must be present in every kitchen. He talks about why he is not worried about ChatGPT taking his job as a recipe developer, and admits that his wife Elizabeth, an interior designer, is a far more talented cook than he is. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 February 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from comedian Paula Poundstone! If you listened to last week's episode of Your Last Meal, you know Paula has a serious sweet tooth, from the Ring Dings she wants for her last meal to the sugar packets she used to eat for dessert.  Same holds true in this episode where Paula shares her perfect birthday cake, the same one she's adored since childhood, and her very unexpected favorite holiday meal. Hint: it comes in "fun size." Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Order Rachel’s brand-new cookbook Open Sesame & get tickets to an upcoming book event!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 January 2025

Veteran comedian Paula Poundstone loves Ring Dings, her favorite little chocolate snack cakes only sold in a handful of East Coast states. She once told a very skeptical Michael Pollan, on NPR's Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me!, that they are her reason for living.  So host Rachel Belle interviews the pastry chef/owner of The Ring Ding Bar in New York City, a bakery that’s recreated the confection with “real ingredients” in 25 flavors.   Paula talks about how she lived on a Greyhound bus in the 80s, when she didn’t have enough money for motels, why you should read the recipe on the marshmallow fluff jar very carefully, and why Dick Van Dyke will most likely never have dinner at Paula’s house again.   Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 January 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Ani DiFranco, singer/songwriter, activist and feminist icon. Ani started her own record company in 1989, put out her first record in 1990 and just released her 23rd album. But what do her two school-aged children think about her music? She will discuss! Plus she shares her family’s boozy holiday traditions, and reveals what is no longer on her rider. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand-new cookbook Open Sesame & get tickets to an upcoming book event! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 January 2025

If you listened to the Grammy-winning singer/songwriter in the ’90s, she wants you to know she’s still making music: Ani DiFranco just released her 23rd album! Ani is known for lyrics that explore politics, social justice and feminism, but in real life she is smiley, friendly and down-to-earth – not the “angry feminist” she was often mislabeled as. Ani grew up in Buffalo, New York, where she was tasked with cooking dinner for her family starting at age 9. Today she enjoys cooking for her own family in New Orleans – a soothing ritual that balances the craziness of touring. Ani says she’ll eat anything, so I pulled out a list of America’s most hated foods & quizzed her – listen in to hear what they are! And a social psychologist joins the show to talk about how a country’s culture influences our likes and dislikes. Plus, Ani’s opinion of school lunch and a story about a school district that refuses to dumb down dishes for its young eaters. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand-new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 9 January 2025

Host Rachel Belle celebrated the launch of Open Sesame at Book Larder, Seattle's only dedicated cookbook store. The event sold out, but you can listen in! Rachel is usually the one asking the questions, but on November 13 the tables were turned! She was in conversation with Becky Selengut, a beloved Seattle cookbook author, cooking instructor, podcast host and chef.  Rachel tells the magical story of how she was offered a book deal (despite having a small social media presence!), a reminder of the importance of building in-person, real-life professional relationships. She tells Becky what it was like to write a cookbook in only six months, describes how the testing process works, shares her biggest recipe fails & talks about how the word “fart” ended up in Open Sesame. Plus, an audience Q&A!   Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 2 January 2025

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Jonathan Van Ness and Tan France, two of the stars of the popular Netflix show Queer Eye.  Last week on Your Last Meal, Tan said his love language is cooking for the people he loves. So just imagine the fight that breaks out in this episode when Tan tells JVN he’ll bring him take-out instead of a homecooked meal!  Tan and JVN reveal their favorite city to eat in and Jonathan, an avid home farmer, gives us a report on what’s growing in his garden.   Listen to last week's episode! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 26 December 2024

Queer Eye Season 9 just dropped on Netflix, and Jonathan Van Ness (beauty expert), Tan France (fashion expert) and the rest of The Fab Five are back to make over folks who have big hearts but need lots of help in the self-care department.  This episode is chock full of big energy and big personalities – so much so that host Rachel Belle hardly had to lift a finger as the buddies interviewed, complimented and lovingly roasted each other!   British-born-and-raised Tan talks about his first-ever magical visit to Olive Garden and what he thinks of the food in Utah, where he now lives with his husband and children.  Rachel asks, “Have you ever eaten pet food?” and JVN and Tan talk about what it’s like going to a restaurant with Antoni Porowski, Queer Eye’s food and wine expert. Get tickets to their Fab Five Live show! Listen to YLM with Ken Jennings. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame!    Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 December 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Al Roker, longtime weather presenter and co-anchor of NBC’s Today. Al and his chef daughter Courtney Roker Laga just released a cookbook called Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By – Easy, Memory-Making Family Dishes for Every Occasion. Al tells me about the strangest recipe in the cookbook (hint: It involves fish + breakfast cereal), which of his recipes Henry Winkler is obsessed with & his opinion on leftovers. Also: When is the perfect time to show up for a party? Listen to Al Roker’s full episode of YLM  Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube.  Follow along on Instagram!  Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame!  Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 December 2024

Longtime Today show weatherman and anchor, Al Roker, just released a cookbook of family recipes with his chef daughter called Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By...but it took some convincing. When Courtney Roker Laga asked her dad if he wanted to write a cookbook together, he knew his answer immediately: No thanks! Fifty years into a busy career, Al wrote a couple cookbooks years ago and knows how much work goes into them. But finally, they made a deal: Al would write the headnotes if Courtney develops and tests all the recipes. Al tells host Rachel Belle about a breakfast tradition that started with his dad, that he carried on with his own teenaged son. Several of the cookbook’s breakfast recipes call for American cheese, so Rachel called up a cheese scientist (with a Ph.D. in cheese!) to find out what American cheese actually is, and in the process learns that it wasn’t even invented in America! And Rachel couldn’t resist asking the weatherman what he likes to cook when it’s raining, snowing, sunny and the perfect spring day. Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 December 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Portland, Oregon, novelist Chuck Palahniuk, author of Fight Club and nearly 20 other books, including his new novel Shock Induction.   Chuck tells host Rachel Belle about his family’s favorite processed food gimmicks from the ’70s, who his dream dinner party guests are, and his favorite Portland restaurant. Spoiler: He says the food is terrible (So Chuck!). Plus, learn the creation story of the iconic Thanksgiving side dish, green bean casserole. Listen to Chuck on Your Last Meal! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame!  Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 28 November 2024

Chuck Palahniuk is best known for his novel-turned-cult-classic-film Fight Club, but the prolific author has published a book nearly every year for the past two decades. His newest is called Shock Induction.  Chuck tells host Rachel Belle about the recipes fans have sent him from prison (and which he’s made!), why he can hardly look at a peach, let alone eat one, and why his mouth waters at the mere thought of a crusty, stale Hostess snack cake.   Chuck’s mom was not a great cook, but she was excellent at frosting cakes, specifically the Barbie cakes she made for her children in the 1960s and ’70s. We explore the long history of decorated doll cakes with food scholar KC Hysmith.   And, an extreme culinary creature of habit, Chuck reveals the meal he’s eaten three times a day for the past several years! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 21 November 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Ken Burns, the prolific, award-winning filmmaker who has been making historical documentary films for PBS for more than 40 years.  Ken lost his mother when he was just 11 years old, a tragic event that has shaped both his personal life and career; in last week’s episode of Your Last Meal he said his mother’s death is what led him to filmmaking. She also shaped his taste in food. Ken shares his favorite dessert, one his mother made for his birthday when he was a child.  Ken shares what it’s like making films with his eldest daughter, Sarah Burns; why he’s not a big fan of Christmas; and his favorite movie theater snack.  Ken Burns' latest film, Leonardo Da Vinci, premieres on Cascade PBS in two parts on Monday, November 18 and Tuesday, November 19 at 8:00 pm, and will be available to stream with the Cascade PBS app.   Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Order Rachel’s brand new cookbook Open Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 14 November 2024

For the past 50 years, Ken Burns has written, directed and produced historical films on a wide variety of topics, from country music and baseball to the Vietnam War and the Brooklyn Bridge. His brand-new film investigates the life of Leonardo da Vinci who, very appropriately for this show, painted The Last Supper! So host Rachel Belle consults an Italian archaeologist about what Jesus and the 12 apostles were actually eating in the famous painting.   Over 20 years ago, Burns helped open a restaurant in his small New Hampshire town called The Restaurant at Burdick’s. He claims to be a silent partner, but his name is printed on the brunch, lunch and dinner menus! He'll explain what the Ken Salad is and how it came to be.  Many famous dishes are named after real people, from the Caesar salad to eggs Benedict. We explore the stories behind some of the most well-known eponymous foods, like Granny Smith apples and the Cobb salad.   Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Get tickets to Food Fight, a culinary game show hosted by Rachel Belle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 7 November 2024

Food can play a significant role in a presidential race as candidates attempt to show how relatable they are through the dishes they eat and the restaurants they visit. Not only do Vice President Kamala Harris and presidential hopeful Donald Trump have different politics, they have extremely different tastes in food.  In this special election episode of Your Last Meal, award-winning New York Times food reporter Kim Severson says if Harris is elected, she will be the first president with a genuine love and prowess for cooking. Severson elaborates on what a big role cooking has played in the Harris/Walz campaign.   American food scholar KC Hysmith joins the show to tell us more about Trump’s tastes, and how big a role McDonald’s has played in both his personal and professional life.   Then we’ll go back in time to learn what was served at the very first American elections and rehash some embarrassing moments from years past, when a politician’s public display of eating went terribly wrong.  Here's the recipe for the original Election Cake recipe! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Get tickets to Food Fight, a culinary game show hosted by Rachel Belle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 31 October 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Tim Heidecker, one half of the sketch comedy duo Tim & Eric, actor and musician.  Eric shares a very controversial opinion about pizza (that host Rachel Belle does not agree with!) and, a big baseball fan, he talks about what he likes to eat at the ballpark.  Listen to last week's YLM episode with Tim! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify or YouTube. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 24 October 2024

Tim Heidecker, one half of the Tim & Eric comedy duo, is best known for sketch comedy and acting, but he’s also a musician – he just released his eighth album, Slipping Away.   One thing Tim isn't? A foodie. He would take a hoagie from Wawa over a fancy meal any day. Tim is from Pennsylvania, which is also the birthplace of Wawa, a convenience store/gas station chain with a cult following. Why? A Wawa-obsessed food writer explains how their hoagies, soft pretzels and iced tea create a sense of belonging.  When Tim’s on tour with his band, he spends a lot of time on a tour bus – he tells host Rachel Belle about a solitary eating ritual he looks forward to when he’s out on the road.   Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or YouTube. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024! Listen to YLM with Graham Elliot to learn more about scrapple.Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 17 October 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from astrologer Tali Edut, one half of the Astro Twins. Tali and her twin sister are longtime astrologers for Elle magazine, matchmakers on the Amazon Prime show Cosmic Love and best-selling authors.  Tali grew up in Michigan but spent a long time living in New York City, so host Rachel Belle challenges her to debate which pizza is better: a Detroit-style pie or a New York slice. And then we launch into a speed round to get to know Tali’s tastes a little bit better.  Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 10 October 2024

Tali Edut and her twin sister Ophira are the Astro Twins: longtime astrologers for Elle magazine, matchmakers on the Amazon Prime show Cosmic Love and best-selling authors; their new book is The Astrology Advantage: Use Your Horoscope for Personal and Professional Success. Tali grew up in a multicultural household eating lots of classic Middle Eastern dishes. When she eventually moved to New York City, she found comfort at Cafe Mogador, a Moroccan-Jewish-owned restaurant open since 1983. Host Rachel Belle chats with the second-generation owner of the East Village favorite about what makes their Greek salad so special. And Tali uses star signs, not Michelin stars, to choose the perfect restaurant. When she writes horoscopes, she chooses to work at restaurants that represent each Zodiac sign – listen in to see if your taste matches your horoscope! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 3 October 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from comedian and actor John Early! John grew up eating Southern staples like pimento cheese sandwiches and cheesy grits, but since making his home in Los Angeles, his cooking style is drastically different. He tells host Rachel Belle about his most cliche and stereotypical LA eats.   When John was a kid, he was such a big fan of the Australian actor Toni Collette, he ran a fan appreciation website! He tells Rachel what he would cook if Ms. Collette was coming to dinner.   Listen to last week's episode of Your Last Meal with John Early! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch Rachel’s Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel’s cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12, 2024!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 September 2024

Growing up in Nashville with two ministers for parents, John Early’s (Search Party, John Early: Now More Than Ever) formative food memories are linked with church, where the sermons were boring but the donuts were plentiful. Plenty of people go out for breakfast after church on Sundays, but not many know that one of America’s most beloved brunch foods descended from the wafers placed on tongues in the Catholic church in medieval Europe. John and host Rachel Belle discuss when it’s OK and when it’s not OK to send a dish back in a restaurant. Then etiquette expert Lizzie Post chimes in with her professional opinion on that and other modern dining dilemmas. John Early is on tour now with his all-new comedy show – click here to get tickets. And here to read his Grub Street Diet, discussed in the episode! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame, out November 12th, 2024!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 19 September 2024

Your Last Meal is celebrating 200 episodes (er, belatedly – this is technically episode 203!) with a replay of the podcast’s 100th episode – a very special show where host Rachel Belle interviewed three spectacular 100-year-old Seattle women about their careers, favorite food memories and, of course, their fantasy last meals. Many of the last meals shared on the podcast are rooted in nostalgia – a dish someone loved as a child, a celebration meal shared with family, a memorable dinner shared with a partner on vacation. And this episode is no different! Inspired by one of the women’s love for the Swedish meatballs her mother-in-law taught her to cook, Rachel gets in touch with the world’s most famous Swedish meatball makers: IKEA! We’ll learn why a furniture store started slinging meatballs, and where the name IKEA comes from. Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Get tickets to Rachel's Open Sesame cookbook launch in Seattle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 12 September 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Tamron Hall & Lish Steiling, authors of the new cookbook, A Confident Cook. These buddies met on the set of The Today Show, where Tamron was in front of the camera, and Lish worked behind the scenes as a food stylist for the cooking segments.   Close friends, Lish and Tamron have shared many meals and holidays together with their friends, family and chosen family, so host Rachel Belle put together a little quiz to see just how well they know each other! If you missed last week’s Your Last Meal episode with Tamron & Lish, give it a listen! Subscribe to Your Last Meal on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Get tickets to Rachel's Open Sesame cookbook launch in Seattle!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 5 September 2024

When Emmy Award-winning journalist and talk show host, Tamron Hall, and James Beard Award and Emmy Award–winning culinary producer, Lish Steiling, became fast friends working at The Today Show, they never would have predicted they'd write a cookbook together. But they just released A Confident Cook, a collection of recipes inspired by Tamron’s and Lish’s backgrounds, plus lots of basic techniques for newbies, like how to properly fry and scramble an egg.   Tamron’s dad was the cook in the family, and when he passed, she wanted to learn how to gather friends and family for tasty meals just like he had. With Lish's guidance, she slowly became a confident cook. In this episode, we talk food, friendship, tattoos and noisy parrots! Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 29 August 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from musicians Aly and AJ, who landed their first record deal as teenagers in 2005, and are still singing for their suppers!  Aly and AJ are bandmates and sisters who give off big BFF energy, and when it comes to food and fashion, they have a lot in common. So host Rachel Belle quizzes them to see just how much they know about each other’s culinary tastes.   If you missed last week’s Your Last Meal episode with Aly & AJ, give it a listen.   Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 22 August 2024

Aly and AJ signed their first record deal when they were just 13 and 15 years old, and nearly 20 years later they’re still singing for their supper. Literally! The sisters love to eat and keep a running list of their favorite restaurants at tour destinations around the world.    One of their favorite spots in the U.S. is Marfa Burritos, a hole-in-the-wall, family-run Texas burrito joint with a cult following. Columnist and author Gustavo Arellano joins the show to talk about what makes the long, skinny bordertown burritos so special.   How many times have you dribbled spaghetti sauce down the front of your previously clean white shirt? Aly, AJ and host Rachel Belle wonder why adults don’t wear bibs! So British food historian Pen Vogler tells us how people used to protect their clothes from stains.   Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame! Sign up for Rachel's newsletter!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 15 August 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from actor Thomas Doherty, who stars in Disney’s Descendants movies, the reboot of Gossip Girl and the new indie romance film Dandelion.  Thomas is from Scotland, but moved to the U.S. to pursue acting. When he goes back home to the U.K., his dad always cooks up a big batch of his favorite comfort food: haggis served with neeps and tatties (you can learn all about these dishes on last week’s episode of Your Last Meal!).   Eager to learn about other traditional Scottish dishes, host Rachel Belle asks Thomas about classics like cullen skink and cock-a-leekie soup, but ...Thomas is just as stumped as she is! Listen to the hijinks and learn a bit about Scottish cuisine along the way!    Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 8 August 2024

Scottish actor Thomas Doherty (Gossip Girl, Descendants, Dandelion) isn’t hungry in America. But the Brooklyn-based film and TV star says he’s famished in Scotland, where artificial dyes and chemicals are banned from food products. Doherty went to a 900-year-old high school in Scotland, so he loves the fresh energy that a young country like the United States offers. But he’s not a fan of American food, and misses the strict UK food regulations, saying he pretty much lost his appetite since moving to the States. What he does love is haggis. But Scotland’s national dish is outlawed in the U.S.! Scottish food historian Paul Gilchrist joins the show to talk about the ban and tells you everything you’d ever want to know about haggis. Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Pre-order Rachel's cookbook Open Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 1 August 2024

Every Labor Day weekend since 1990, tens of thousands of people descend upon a Nevada desert to build an elaborate, eccentric, temporary town called Black Rock City. This is the famed Burning Man festival, and once you’re inside the gate, nothing (but ice) is for sale and bartering and trading are forbidden.   So how do 70,000 people feed themselves at the Black Rock Desert festival without electricity or running water? Burning Man runs on a gifting economy, and food is a major currency. On this Very Special Episode of Your Last Meal, we’ll explore Burning Man’s culinary camps, where festival attendees set up makeshift restaurants and feed thousands of Burners for free. You’ll meet the creator of Cheese & Advice Palace, who says waiting in line for a grilled cheese sandwich is part of the experience, and the chef behind Domakase, a desert sushi bar. Follow along on Instagram! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Sign up for the free newsletter! Pre-order Rachel Belle's new cookbook, Open Sesame: 45 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Tahini & All Things Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 25 July 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from J. Ryan Stradal, the bestselling author of three novels, all set in Minnesota: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club.  Through a not-so-rapid-fire speed round, J. Ryan tells host Rachel Belle about his favorite Minnesota State Fair food, what the J. in his name stands for, and why you really need to open that bottle of wine you're forever saving for a special occasion.  And we'll explore the history behind a Midwestern fried-food debate: corn dog vs Pronto Pup! What's the difference? Listen and find out!  Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Pre-order Rachel Belle's new cookbook, Open Sesame: 45 Sweet & Savory Recipes for Tahini & All Things Sesame!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 18 July 2024

The New York Times bestselling novelist J. Ryan Stradel tells host Rachel Belle it was “totally weird to be a teenage foodie in the 1990s.” He couldn’t wait to get his driver’s license so he could drive into the Twin Cities and eat at restaurants serving mysterious, flavorful, global food — a complete contrast to the bland dishes his parents cooked at home. Food plays a role in all three of Stradal’s novels, all set in his home state of Minnesota: Kitchens of the Great Midwest, The Lager Queen of Minnesota and Saturday Night at the Lakeside Supper Club — supper clubs being a uniquely Midwestern throwback institution. Rachel chats with the owners of two multigenerational supper clubs, Lehman’s and Ettlin’s Ranchero, about what sets them apart from other restaurants. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 11 July 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from G. Love, frontman for G. Love & Special Sauce! The band is celebrating 30 years since releasing their self-titled first album, featuring beloved bangers like Baby’s Got Sauce and Cold Beverage. G. Love tells host Rachel Belle about his big backyard garden, where he grows both edibles and smokables, and shares how he turned his “special sauce” into a tangible product. When it comes to sugary kid’s cereals, you most likely know the mascots and slogans even if you've never taken a single bite. We learn the stories behind mascots like Cap’n Crunch and Tony the Tiger with Tim Hollis, author of “Part of a Complete Breakfast: Cereal Characters of the Baby Boom Era.” Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 4 July 2024

It has been 30 years (!) since G. Love & Special Sauce put out their first album, and in that time G. Love has written a whole lotta food and drink lyrics. He tells host Rachel Belle the origin stories behind songs like Milk & Cereal, Cold Beverage and his album Lemonade.  Lemonade has special meaning to G. Love, so Rachel chats with Gastro Obscura editor Anne Ewbank about the history of the sweet, puckery drink, the different ways it's prepared around the world and why American children have taken on the responsibility of selling it! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 27 June 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Geraldine DeRuiter, author of the new book If You Can't Take the Heat & James Beard Award winning writer.  Geraldine tells host Rachel Belle about her dream Costco sample, shares her perfect birthday cake and, perhaps the most fun part of the episode, the long string of blooper cuts after the credits run! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram! Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 20 June 2024

In her latest book, If You Can’t Take the Heat, Geraldine DeRuiter uses food, humor and her own (often ridiculous!) life to explore the topic of feminism. Geraldine has a way of, as she puts it, “going bonkers viral.” Millions of people read her James Beard Award-winning blog post, “I Made the Pizza Cinnamon Rolls from Mario Batali’s Sexual Misconduct Apology Letter,” and her essay about a bizarre experience at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Italy inspired a front-page New York Times article. Over the course of two interviews (host Rachel Belle forgot to ask Geraldine a very important question the first time around), Geraldine and Rachel bond over the strange (read: disgusting) things they ate as children and the absolute best way to make and eat popcorn, plus Geraldine shares her last meal, which is almost entirely cooked by her husband. Romans take their carbonara very seriously and insist it be cooked using “traditional” ingredients. But Rome-based culinary guide and cookbook author Katie Parla says modern-day Italian carbonara is not as authentic as passionate locals think it is. Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!  Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 13 June 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Dan Pashman, host of The Sporkful podcast, inventor of the cascatelli pasta shape, and author of the new cookbook Anything’s Pastable. Dan was a guest on Your Last Meal in 2017, so host Rachel Belle checks in to see if his last meal has changed over the past seven years. Then, a speed round! Dan talks about the biggest challenge of writing a cookbook, his carb-on-carb recipe for pasta pizza, and his dream birthday cake.  Order Rachel's favorite tortillas! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!  Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 6 June 2024

Award winning The Sporkful podcast host, Dan Pashman, invented a new pasta shape in 2021. Cascatelli was released with great fanfare -- Time magazine declared the pasta one of 2021’s best inventions and it was covered everywhere from The New York Times to Access Hollywood.   But when fans started tagging Dan on Instagram, eager to show off their cascatelli creations, he realized everyone was bathing their pasta in the same three sauces! Eager to move beyond marinara and mac & cheese, Dan wrote his first cookbook, Anything’s Pastable: 81 Inventive Pasta Recipes for Saucy People.   On his recent book tour, Dan popped by host Rachel Belle’s Seattle home studio to talk about the cookbook’s innovative, international recipes; the best place in the house to eat when you don’t want to share food with your children; and why he thinks spaghetti is an inferior pasta shape. Then host Rachel Belle blindfolded Dan and fed him pasta to see how many shapes he could identify by mouthfeel alone! Watch the video here! Dan was on YLM to talk about his last meal back in 2017 -- you can listen here! Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Follow along on Instagram!  Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode!  Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 30 May 2024

This week on The Leftovers, never-before-heard audio from Kathleen Hanna, frontwoman for the groundbreaking feminist punk bands Bikini Kill and Le Tigre and author of the new memoir Rebel Girl. Last week, on Your Last Meal, Kathleen talked about meals she’s eaten that were so good, they made her cry. Like, really cry.  Today she tells us about her major, if accidental, contribution to a Nirvana record, what it means to be punk-rock while living a comfortable adult life and what it was like working at McDonald’s as a teenager.  Then host Rachel Belle meets the co-founder of Food Not Bombs, a global movement to end hunger.   Watch Rachel's Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle!   Follow along on Instagram!  Thanks to Visit Kitsap for sponsoring this episode!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 23 May 2024

The legendary riot grrrl and punk rock singer for Bikini Kill and Le Tigre has a reputation for crying over a delicious meal. As far as we know, she's shed tears over sushi, birthday cake, and gelato. Why does food make her so emotional? She breaks it down (but doesn’t break down!) for host Rachel Belle.  Kathleen, who got her start in the punk scene in Olympia, WA in the early 90s, is best known for being an outspoken feminist and activist; at her early shows she’d speak out about domestic violence and sexual violence between songs.   While Kathleen took her rage to the stage, cookbook author and James Beard Award winning journalist Kathy Gunst, released her outrage through flour, sugar, butter, fruit, and chocolate. We talk about her cookbook, Rage Baking: The Transformative Power of Flour, Fury, and Women's Voices.   Pick up Kathleen's new memoir Rebel Girl! Follow along on Instagram!  Watch Rachel's new Cascade PBS TV show The Nosh with Rachel Belle! Thanks to Visit Kitsap Peninsula for sponsoring this episode!Support the show: http://rachelbelle.substack.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Transcribed - Published: 16 May 2024