Our PieFest & Contest is back!

Laissez les bon temps rouler with a bit of food history. Looking toward Mardi Gras, historian Ashley Rose Young explores the vibrant street food culture of New Orleans, with roots stretching back to the city's origins. Food writer Adrian Miller enlists the help of Deborah Chang to share the story of Asian heritage chefs cooking in the White House. Molecular biologist and PieFest judge Nik Sharma reveals the secrets behind thickening agents in pies. For the last 30 years, attorney Bill Marler has represented victims of deadly foodborne illnesses. His latest cause is tainted baby formula. At the farmers market, mandarins are in season. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

Plus: A powerful pie documentary, Puerto Rican party food, a loverly chocolate tart, the best Mexican restaurants, and hydroponic tomatoes at the farmers market. KCRW's PieFest & Contest is back! We talk to Iowan Beth Howard about her documentary Pieowa, which brings together church ladies, state fair contestants, farm wives, and historians to explore the power of a flaky crust. Mia Castro transports herself to Puerto Rico with inspired dishes for Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show featuring Bad Bunny. Psychotherapist and Ottolenghi Test Kitchen recipe developer Helen Goh incorporates baking into a meaningful life. L.A. Taco's Memo Torres finds time to help compile the city's best Mexican restaurants. At her Highland Park gastropub, chef Debbie Lee incorporates farmers market produce into creative bar snacks. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

The good, the bad and the ugly about our new dietary guidelines. Marion Nestle reconsiders her seminal book What to Eat Now, two decades later. Polina Chesnakova sneaks in a few comforting, cool weather recipes from the Caucuses. Pyet DeSpain drew on her Native American and Mexican heritage to find a deeper purpose. Cha McCoy shines a light on underrepresented wine regions and pairings for foods of the diaspora. At the farmers market, Erika Chan of Kato shops for parsnips for dessert. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.  

Would you pay $1,500 for dinner? René Redzepi explains how he's orchestrating Noma's LA residency and why it comes with such a hefty price tag.  Anna Ansari follows flavor down the Silk Roads.  Khushbu Shah knows where to get the best veggie burgers.  At the farmers market, Walter Manzke finds fun uses for chanterelles. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

AI might be making your groceries more expensive. Reporter Eric Gardner explains how grocery stores are exploring "dynamic pricing," charging different people different prices for the same items.  Sean Sherman, the Sioux Chef, links the natural environments, traditions, and histories of Indigenous peoples across North America in his latest cookbook.  Krystle Hickman journeys through the world of California bees, one letter at a time.  Jason Cheng explains why his farm, Yao Cheng Farm in Camarillo, is dropping its organic certification. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

Amid the loss and devastation, there is resilience and hope. We remember our friend Christine Moore, owner of Little Flower, who unexpectedly passed away this week. Leah Ferrazzani of Ferrazzani's Pasta & Market tells the tale of multiple fires, pointing out the disparities in how Altadena residents were affected. Teddy and Andy Leonard weigh in on the challenges of rebuilding the Reel Inn, their cherished coastline seafood shack, which was lost in the Palisades Fire. Elina Shatkin hangs out with the Altadena Dining Club, the brainchild of Brooke Iva Lohman, who gathers locals at struggling eateries for a weekly meal. Janek Schaller visits the Altadena Community Garden, where scientists and volunteers use bioremediation practices to clean up contaminated soil. LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison reviews two Altadena restaurants — Miya, a Thai spot, and Betsy, a venture from Tyler Wells. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

New year, new ideas. We revisit a conversation with Austin Frerick who shares the stories of seven agricultural titans, their rise to power, and the consequences for the rest of us.  Nancy Matsumoto celebrates the women who are fighting Big Food by building sustainable food systems. At Alma Backyard Farms in Compton, co-founder Erika Cuellar feeds the soil and the soul with programs targeting youth and people who were once incarcerated. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

A year in the life of food.  Michael Shaikh tells the stories of people preserving their culinary traditions amid war and violence. Ted Genoways considers José Cuervo's colorful history, from eluding Pancho Villa's death threats to bringing tequila north of the Mexican border. Sarah Ahn's viral food videos of her mom have captivated millions of viewers with their behind-the-scenes look at Korean cooking and multigenerational life. Humberto Raygoza aka the Chori-Man links four generations using one chorizo recipe. Olivia Haver loves cheese so much, she has devoted her career to babysitting it. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.

Generational family recipes take center stage. Kathy Fang spent her childhood shaped by 24 square blocks of San Francisco, where her father manned a wok, feeding hungry customers at the House of Nanking. Forager Pascal Baudar hunts down wild seeds and grains. Jess Shadbolt helms the kitchen at King, the ingredient-focused New York City restaurant with an aesthetic of eating simply but lavishly. One of the world's foremost authorities on libations, former Shakespeare professor David Wondrich delivers the history of the cocktail in comic book form. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.  

A breakfast odyssey begins.  Food & Wine contributing editor Khushbu Shah shares where to grab the best stack of pancakes in Los Angeles.  Hetty Lui McKinnon puts salad at the center of the table for intimate gatherings.  Molecular biologist Nik Sharma tests taste buds with Sichuan peppercorns. Golden Delicious apples come to the Mar Vista Farmers Market. Connect with Good Food host Evan Kleiman on Substack.