Episode 41
Even though they claim to be simple country folk, in reality, dear old friends Michele and Dave Barbee are displaced city slickers who both are avid foodies. We discuss our mutual history together (Chicago theatre, naturally) as well as the fascinating childhood experiences that Michele had growing up in a restaurant-owning family. We examine their respective migration from Oklahoma and Indiana to New York and Chicago and then back to Indiana and how the cooking duties have shifted during retirement and semi-empty nesting. A grand old reunion with wonderful friends that we need to see more often. Listen in!
Episode 40
Our 40th Podcast! A conversation with Kathryn Schorr is like zooming down a runway in a jetliner, so Kath and Jan strap in with their tray tables up for rollicking good time as we take a deep dive into Kathryn’s childhood, complete with E/R surgeon dad and deceased sibling and then move into her own grown-up life and how a meteor (or maybe two – we lost track!) landed right in the middle of it and we somehow manage to also bitch about food! A few years back, Kathryn had a hit show - “Death – A Comedy” which chronicled the events that changed her life and was proof that even in the worst of times, she can find humor. A fantastic conversation with the fastest talker in the West! Listen in!
Episode 39
With a name like Viva Krasinski, you know things are going to be interesting. Thanks to our previous podcast guest Emily Vollmer, Viva was brought to our attention and we soon realized she had a lot to say about food and other topics, and we were delighted to meet her. A nurturer from a young age, Viva tells of helping out with her much younger sister and then becoming a very young mother herself. Now living in the high desert, she and her husband maintain two huge gardens and have learned what to grow in the heat! Viva shares her favorite fermenting recipes near the end which has us drooling – a very tasty episode – listen in!
Episode 38
Kath and Jan have a new friend! The phrase “lovely and talented” gets used way too much, but in this case, it truly applies to our guest, Clara York. Coming in smokin’ hot off her successful play “The Jailbait Chronicles” at the Fanatic Salon (next show, August 4th!), Clara recalls her Maine-born-and-bred Mom’s love of lobster and oysters, her charming but shady high school boyfriend and her husband of 35 years and their adopted daughter. In a remarkable story of survival, she reveals how she literally and figuratively gave their daughter a new life. A terrific episode – listen in!
Episode 37
Elizabeth Cortell has stories. She has been entertaining Kath and Jan for decades with them, and today’s episode is no exception. A very unique childhood, a killer wit, a keen eye and a razor sharp mind all lead to Liz’s recounting of her Dad’s Christmas menus, her beloved Mom’s cooking, how her folks knew where to shop in Chicago and her own journey with food as she got older, married, had a kid, moved abroad and then back again. We are lucky to have her nearby (ish) since she may be feeding us from her backyard farm in the future if food prices continue the way they are going. A wonderful conversation with a great friend we don’t see enough of – listen in!
Episode 36
Jennifer Stander claims she is not a genius, but Kath & Jan suspect otherwise. The three of us do a deep dive into mysterious worlds: computer programing, coding, 8 hour work meetings, vegetarianism, Purple Carrot, train travel and the food in the western suburbs of Chicago. Jen reveals the reason she thought she hated food as a child and the relishes the memory of her first really good steak (with herb butter!), as well as a tofu scramble that went south many years ago. During housekeeping, Kath and Jan discuss a variety of topics, catching up on what's been going on and why they've been away for a minute. A terrific conversation with a new friend, who now seems like an old friend. Listen in!
Episode 35
Mariann Sauvion has been cooking and feeding the world since the age of 5 and hasn’t stopped since! Kath and Jan enjoy an extremely convivial conversation with Mariann as she recalls her salad days (see what we did there?) as an 18-year old chef in Manhattan at the late great Paris Bistro, her Culinary Institute adventures, the Coffee House Club, her catering business with her beloved late husband and their extremely successful food styling business. They were a team and people knew them as that, even though they both did their own separate jobs. Mariann has carried on with this business alone and it thrives to this day. Best of all, she dishes on the one time she styled for Martha Stewart and reveals her own secret to a successful Thanksgiving turkey at the very end. We were honored to have Mariann join us via Zoom and if you aren’t hungry by the end of this episode, have we even met? Listen in!
Episode 34
A Bonus Episode as we once again re-visit Jan's mom Frima and her sister Barbara on Kath's patio to honor Frima on her 95th birthday! Amid the pastoral sounds of hummingbirds, wind chimes and our neighbor's incessant leaf-blower, we relay family tributes (more corn memories!), Barbara revisits an old forgotten cookbook, Frima talks about her famous portrait (pictured) and we all look forward to a third (!) birthday cake (this time from Costco). A tasty little episode for a milestone day! Listen in!
Episode 33
Kath and Jan are joined by the delightful writer and teacher Emily Vollmer, but not before Jan tells a long contentious story about a tomato at a chic restaurant in Santa Monica. Kath initially sides with the restaurant (and the tomato) but suddenly changes her tune when sweet Emily pipes up and supports Jan. Typical Kath behavior. Meanwhile, Emily regales everyone with stories from the front lines of teaching 10th and 11th graders in the Los Angeles public school system, and how the kids are learning about food and nutrition and also how it relates to sports and the Magic Bullet. She talks about cooking for just herself (we're slightly jealous) and what she expects when she dines at a restaurant. A very fun conversation with a lovely soul - listen in!
Episode 32
The phenomenally talented Maiya Sykes is the real deal – an artist who actually makes a living at it. Once you hear her sing, it all makes sense. She joins Kath and Jan in a lively discussion about food, music, living with her Mom, Michael Jackson’s glove origins, underpaying gigs, who cooks in her house, life on the road, what exactly is in her carry-on bag when she travels (A LOT) and her extremely well-fed dog. Find her on YouTube by searching her name and follow her on Instagram @maiyasykes Be sure to check out her podcast as well, Slap the Power. A fantastic conversation with the best of the best – listen in!
Episode 31
Photo by Kelly Stuart
Back in the Golden Age of Chicago Theatre ™ Kath and guest Keli Garrett were working in tandem as heads of a Women’s Collective and an African American Collective (respectively) for a theatre company. Given our shared history with words, it’s no wonder we embark on a fascinating conversation with Keli as we discuss her PhD studies in London and what the food scene is there, as well as what it’s like cooking for a child as a single Mom here in Los Angeles. Keli recalls her childhood and how both her parents juggled working and the (somewhat) sharing of cooking duties, and we wax nostalgic on Chicago food and spend a great deal of time (spoiler alert!) complaining about LA food. A wonderful, funny and engaging conversation – listen in!
Episode 30
Heidi Bauer’s creativity is off the charts, whether it’s running her company Rock Scissor Paper with her sister Susie (www.rockscissorpaper.com), entertaining, cooking, baking, designing or just looking at the world in a different way than most people. Kath and Jan both share memories of legendary milestone celebrations, vintage Los Angeles houses, craft cocktails, cookie giveaways, backyard bars and the epic “Cake vs. Pie” party. We touch upon her childhood and marriage and how she strives to reframe her thoughts in a creative way in pretty much any situation, including doing the dishes. A great conversation with one of our favorite people. Listen in!
Episode 29
The famous caramel-apple cake!
The last time Kath saw the married couple James Sie and Douglas Wood, they had not yet adopted their new baby from Viet Nam – who is now 22. Picking right up where they left off (quite literally!), James delights Kath and Jan with homemade blueberry maple scones, which Jan has to force herself not to eat on the air. In a far-ranging discussion on many topics, we talk about the disparity in cooking duties in our respective relationships and come to the conclusion that Food=Love and Love=Control and therefore Food=Control, but is that a bad thing? We also discuss how food can trigger memories not only for children but for aging parents as well. Find Doug’s work at www.douglaswood.net and James' work at www.sieworld.com. A fantastic, often hilarious conversation with two old friends – listen in!
Episode 28
We’re back! It’s been a minute. Kath and Jan start 2024 off with a bang (okay, a few weeks late) with Los Angeles power couple Joe and Pepper Edmiston, our beloved engineer Will’s parents, who graciously come to the studio en route to the symphony for a free-wheeling, often hilarious and spirited talk about marriage, food, children, grandchildren, rabbits, pigs and best of all, Pepper’s secret to a happy marriage and how she manages to avoid cooking to this day. We talk about Joe’s work as the Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Pepper’s work starting not one, but two camps for children who are seriously ill, all while raising seven children. Find Pepper’s most recent work at www.peppertree.farm and read all about Joe’s efforts to preserve the land at https://smmc.ca.gov. A wonderful conversation to start off the year and an honor to have them. Listen in!
Episode 27
Kath and Jan close out the year with a visit from the luminous Peggy Dunne, where we discuss far-ranging topics, such as Peggy’s many careers, health and nutrition, depression, acting, blue-green algae and how she somehow managed to marry a guy who was an amazing cook and astonishingly, in the ultimate ‘way to work it’, continues to cook for her even ten years after their separation! A lovely end to 2023 – listen in!
Episode 26
When Kath and Jan met their pal Maripat Donovan, it was during the run of “The Good Times Are Killing Me” in Chicago, which was supposed to run for six weeks and ran for a year and half. Right after that, Maripat originated her one-woman show “Late Nite Catechism” which was also supposed to run for six weeks…thirty years ago (it’s still running – in fact, Kath does it too)!! We discuss rehabbing buildings, Maripat’s broken leg, famous people, show business, Maripat’s childhood memories of her mother’s pasta sauce (not to her liking) and her various side hustles, namely her old restaurant in Michigan and her food truck in Los Angeles. Maripat reveals the secret to fluffy mashed potatoes (it’s not what you think) and Kath reveals the recipe to Maripat’s favorite chocolate chip cookie. A wonderful funny conversation – listen in!
Episode 25
It’s a Thanksgiving Special Family Event as our beloved menschy engineer Will makes the trek to the LAX area with all his equipment (and his two dogs!) so we can interview Jan’s Mom Frima (that's her real hair pictured - taken by her hairdresser - she's 93!) and Jan’s Aunt Barbara (upper right in the group shot) in person on Kath’s patio! It’s a sizzling holiday extravaganza as the ladies wax nostalgic on what food was like in the old days. We talk about last meals, fussy eaters, fudge, food delivery and the impossibility of food ever tasting as good as it did way back when. A true honor to have these wonderful women speak to us – don’t miss this one. Listen in!
Episode 24
Nick on the left, Will on the right. Two badass engineers who happen to be mensches too.
Happy Podcastaversary….to US! Kath and Jan celebrate one whole YEAR of podcasting with our original beloved engineer Nick Sheist in what we hope will be an annual tradition with him, being our pre-Thanksgiving guest! We discuss far-ranging topics beyond food, but of course…food too. Nick brings homemade pumpkin bread to start us off, which Jan immediately samples. We talk about Nick’s upcoming nuptials and how sampling wedding cakes made him ill. We talk about his family’s plans for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday (none so far!) and the challenges of making sure older family members are getting enough food. We also discuss what Kath and Jan have learned in their year of podcasting, and many, many other topics. Find his newest endeavor on Instagram @badmoviesweluv and of course, on Twitter (X) @NickSheisty. A wonderful episode with our original champion supporter – listen in!
Episode 23
Kath and Jan do their first Zoom interview ever (with a little spotty sound quality) and travel virtually to Portland, Oregon where Kath’s adopted daughter Shari Zinn-Hoorn lives. Okay, she isn’t really Kath’s daughter, but if Kath *did* have a daughter, she would want one like Shari. We discuss how they met and how Shari’s mango-avocado combo won Kath over immediately. We discover that Shari took over cooking at home as a young child, which makes sense, seeing as how she herself is now an ace cook. We find out who does most of the cooking in her marriage to Laura (drumroll, it’s Shari) and how Laura, like Kath, loves to grocery shop. We reminisce about a shared Thanksgiving meal a few years back which prompts Jan to request Shari’s favorite dish: green bean casserole. Kath agrees, as long as Jan cooks it. A lovely episode with a true foodie. Listen in!
Episode 22
Will & Bill!
It's Burger Day as Kath and Jan finally wrangle our engineer Will Edmiston into talking about his burger obsession and we definitely get more than we bargained for! Be sure and book his space for your studio needs at www.peerspace.com (search podcast studio Santa Monica). We talk about his Mom's surprise pet pigs, dogs, burgers and how you really can't judge a book by its cover when it comes to burger joints in Los Angeles, or anywhere for that matter. Will teaches us about the different styles of regional Los Angeles burgers and reveals his favorite burger places both in the Valley and on the West Side of LA. We discuss his two newest acquisitions, Patty and Milkshake (Moo), the two sweetest pups in the world and we discuss how Will is somehow able to fervently love animals while also maintaining the ability to eat them. Find him on Instagram @roadsidewithcheese A rare juicy episode for sure. Listen in!
Episode 21
Kath and Jan are blown away by the gorgeous and generous Paula Ayala who shows up with a towering red velvet cake adorned with BAF beads! Kath quickly realizes that she could neither bake that cake nor make those beads if someone had a gun to her head. Jan immediately renounces giving up sugar. Paula talks about her Argentine roots and how her mom made simple, delicious food, which inspired Paula to seek out more complex and far-ranging dishes. Paula talks about her two lovely little girls and how the oldest one is basically her kitchen helper and has learned to bake little cakes all by herself! Paula talks about her father and grandfather, (Hector Ayala and Hector Ayala, Jr) both of whom are well-known Argentine musicians (she is pictured here facing her father’s album cover). Kath asks how Paula is able to cook these amazing meals in a tiny Joseph Eichler kitchen and Kath also confesses that she is obsessed with watching Paula’s posts of her beloved partner Greg fixing things around their house, not to mention her cakes. Paula reveals that she uses edible glitter on certain baked goods which leads Kath down a dark path of what happens to that glitter ‘down the road’. Kath and Jan are so enamored of Paula that they offer to move in and be mother’s helpers (Kath) and cake taste-testers (Jan). Paula graciously demurs. You can find Paula and Greg’s beautifully curated designs and items for sale on Instagram @paula_gregorio (don’t forget the underscore between) and also you can see Paula’s cakes and other crafts @thewellseasoned A delicious and fabulous conversation – listen in!
Episode 20
New Episode! Kath and Jan are joined by old theatre pals and long-time married couple, Michael Shepperd and Hutchins Foster. We reminisce about the old days in Chicago when Kath, Jan and Michael were in “The Good Times are Killing Me” at City Lit, which was supposed to run for 6 weeks and ended up running for over a year, and is considered by all of us to be a true career highlight. Jan speaks of a very dark time in her life and how Michael managed to shine a little light on her to help her. We talk about Michael and Hutch’s meet-cute at that infamous seedy bar in Brooklyn. We plug their various projects, including their YouTube channel @boozinwithgays4123 (can also be found on Facebook facebook.com/boozinwithgays) and how sometimes the demon gin can cause their own broadcast to devolve into fighting. We plug Michael’s latest show Blood at the Root at Open Fist (www.openfist.org). Michael recalls his beloved mom Choice and how by the time Michael was of age, she was kind of over cooking, since she had six children, but many decades apart. Hutch remembers a series of Salvadoran housekeepers who had to do all the cooking under the tutelage of Sally, his glamorous mom. Kath tells the story of how she begged Hutch for five years to get his family’s famous eggnog recipe – which she finally did. Michael tells Jan how to properly cook a pork chop. We talk about who cooks in the marriage (Hutch) and how their kids feel about food. It was so great to catch up with old friends who we don’t get to see that much, even though we live in the same damn city, but that’s LA for you. A terrific conversation – listen in!
Episode 19
Kath and Jan welcome the powerful dancer Daisy Kate Jacobson to the podcast as we parse the meanings of lissome, lithe and willowy as it relates to dancers. Like a true dancer, however, Daisy prefers to concentrate on strength, rather than patriarchal labels. We talk about Daisy's evolution from being a tiny child chorus member in The Nutcracker to playing the lead, Clara. After attending Juilliard, she worked with LA Dance Project and now is a protégé of Twyla Tharp, after working on Twyla’s reboot of “Nine Sinatra Songs.” Kath and Jan realize they are old enough to remember the original version of that piece in back in the day. We discuss Daisy’s Franco-American roots, her commitment to being mostly vegan, and how to maintain balanced eating with the torching of calories that comes with dance. We talk about Daisy and her boyfriend sharing cooking duties and eating disorders within the dance community. Daisy reveals how she needs to supplement her diet with animal products to help with a hip injury. Finally, Daisy almost convinces Kath & Jan to take an adult ballet class, currently the subject of a documentary she is working on. As long as we can wear sweats, we are in. A fascinating and illuminating conversation. Listen in!
Episode 18
Once known as the Harriet Tubman of comedy, (due to all the comics she shepherded into Los Angeles from Chicago), actor-director-writer-improviser (and co-founder of Second City Etc.) Jane Morris joins Kath and Jan in the studio as a last-minute, showbiz clutch replacement for a guest who was sick. We talk about her Mom’s upbringing in an orphanage run by sadistic nuns and how when she married Jane’s Dad, she created a magical life for her children, including food. We talk about Jane’s favorite recipes and Jan lasers in on Mexican lasagna that will haunt her dreams. Kath talks about Jane’s famous chicken pot pie recipe and Jane reveals she has to cook a little differently for her husband now. Also this: if you are an actor or a writer or an improviser or someone who wants to be any/all of those things, please check out their website: www.fanaticsalon.com You will immersed in a creative atmosphere like no other! We were so grateful Jane came over at the 11th hour for a chat – a great conversation – listen in!
Episode 17
Kath & Christine in India, 1000 years ago
As supreme luck would have it, en route from Japan to their home in London, Cris Cole and Christine St. John pop in to visit Kath and Jan in the studio for an hour of catching up on old times. Christine and Kath reminisce about their early salad days in what we now know was the Golden Age of Chicago Theatre, from about 1985 to whenever we left in the nineties. Kidding, not kidding. We discuss their food history with their parents, what Kath learned when she traveled around the world with them and Christine’s famed Chicken Á L’Orange and Lean Cuisines. We discuss how Christine’s life turned to Technicolor (think Wizard of Oz moment) when she realized her new husband was an ace cook. Christine has since taken over the cooking duties and we discuss the contrast of their two cooking styles: Cris energetically improvises and Christine measures calmly. We also discuss Veganism and their forever commitment to it and both Jan and Kath both once again realize that they eat way too much meat. A truly wonderful conversation – listen in!
Episode 16
New episode! Kath thought she was a talker, but she met her match in our lively and joyous guest, Frederick Johnson, who regales Kath and Jan with tales of growing up in a family where everyone had multiple names and ate macrobiotic food! Frederick talks about his battle with Valley Fever and how in recovery, he left the healthy stuff behind and craved the bad (good) stuff, like tacos and cereal. We discuss the fact that at one point he lost 30 pounds and didn’t even realize it. Frederick also talks about his first job working alone in a snack bar from morning till night under the watchful eye of a future corrections officer. He then reveals that he can make killer greens with smoked turkey as well as pecan pie, which assures him an instant spot at Kath’s Thanksgiving table. We could have talked for hours! Listen in!
Episode 15
The actual car Kath rented
New episode! The Midwest Reset! Sound issues plague Kath who was on the move for some remote sessions in the Midwest, all while trying out a new microphone. Kath and Jan and Will hash out the mic issues - it's pretty much a "user error issue" the user being Kath. But Will works some magic to reduce the static, but the sound is muffled in spots. Or maybe Kath’s friends are muffled in spots and the mic is fine. Aren’t we all a little muffled in spots? Jan makes amends to her sister about Olive Garden. We discuss the host/hostess dilemma, which is this: food is enjoyed by guests, but the creator of the food is not happy with it. Does that matter? We discuss the opposite problem as well, when the hostess loves the food, but it doesn’t agree with the guest – Kath’s newest attempt at Detroit-style pizza is cited as an example, which doesn’t agree with Jan. Kath and Jan revisit one of their favorite haunts in El Segundo, JAME, and discuss the delicious-ness. Will reveals that he has an Instagram account devoted solely to burgers! Kath reflects on time spent with her dearest oldest friends as well as her brother and sister in law, all while driving around in a huge scary muscle car that her rental car company tricked her into taking! She also talks about the angry mob she faced at O'Hare. We play all the Midwest snippets for Jan, who hears them for the first time and we discuss them afterwards. Jan discovers that Kath thought bees made honey for humans, not themselves. What are they going to do with it anyway? Listen in!
Episode 14
Guten Morgen says Kath and Jan as we are joined by the delightful and super stylish Ania Cremer, who flew into town all the way from Berlin to visit her Los Angeles boyfriend. We discuss Kath’s Dad’s quest for good German food for his entire life. We talk about Kath’s paternal grandmother Lindemann’s recipes. We try and pronounce Kartoffelklöße with limited success. Kath posts an old German recipe on the blog. Ania talks about how the later someone stays at a party in Germany the more successful it is. Kath realizes she is probably an awful host as her motto is generally “please leave by 9”. Jan is so distracted by the chocolate Ania brought as a gift that she momentarily forgets she is recording a podcast. Ania recalls food from her youth and also talks about the thriving and mercurial Berlin food scene. Follow her on Instagram at @annremerc and @remercstudio. A fascinating conversation – listen in!
Episode 13
Stephens College, Columbia MO - where we all first met in 1978!
Ciao! Kath and Jan revisit the past, the ancient-long-ago-BEFORE-COMPUTERS- AND-THE-INTERNET-past when they are joined by their dear old friend and mentor, Eugene Ferraro, who was teaching film at Stephens College where Kath and Jan met in 1978. Gene has always supported both of their artistic endeavors for decades now and so it was a real treat to get him on the podcast. We talk of course of….Italy! Boston! Italian food in both places! Gene reveals a restaurant in New York City that still makes things the old way. We talk about the evolution of Italian food in America. Kath revisits an old tripe trauma from her youth. Gene remembers food from his past and how his kids both enjoy cooking, but in totally different ways. A wonderful conversation with our most ardent supporter – listen in!
Episode 12
New York, New York, it’s a toddlin’ town, as Kath and Jan visit with a dear pal (a true New York transplant) Francesca Rollins. We discuss New York vs. LA food, her parents’ busy showbiz careers and how they entertained and cooked. We talk about delicatessen vs. appetizing, Zabar’s vs. Russ & Daughters, and how her mother Jane had a special guy who helped her at Zabar’s when it came time to throw an impromptu party for celebrities. Jan remembers a time when she unsuccessfully tried to shortcut a fruit salad for Jane. ‘Cesca shares favorite family recipes from her past and also the secret to her Dad’s ‘dreck’ sandwich. She also reveals that she has scored a husband who does all the cooking, causing much wailing and gnashing of teeth from Kath & Jan. Nonetheless, a fantastic and lively conversation – listen in!
Episode 11
The amazing Sheila Linderman (Judy’s pal) joins the podcast for a spirited and lively conversation about many far-ranging topics: how a background in science really does help when it comes to baking and pastry in general. Growing up Orthodox and Kosher. How Chicago’s Pickle Barrel restaurant started her on the road to non-kosher foods. Ditching medical school for a culinary arts degree from LA Trade Tech. Then, France, and what it was like being one of only 5 female pastry chefs in Paris when she was younger, and the only American. Los Angeles and how she met and befriended Judy. Her foray into Madagascar Vanilla. Why restaurants seem to all serve the same five desserts. Her cookbook and her many ventures, including helping companies and farmers get organic certification. The Dordogne region of France (again!) and how wonderful small town life is there. Kath and Jan manage to score an open invitation there. A wonderful visit with a true entrepreneur. Listen in!
Episode 10
It’s all about the rolls in the latest episode of Bitchin’ as Kath and Jan are visited by Jan’s work pal Lou. Kath is under the weather, but motors through with Jan’s help as Lou talks about getting notes on cooking from her 5 year old daughter and how this same daughter, now grown, is an ace cook and does all the holidays! Kath reminds everyone that Thanksgiving is only 6 months away. Lou talks about her family’s legendary rolls that only one surviving family member even bothers to make. We discuss generational skipping of food passion and what it's like cooking for one when you don’t feel like cooking. We discuss food from Puerto Rico, Belize and local BBQ. A delicious conversation for sure – listen in!
Episode 9
The future looks bright with nomadic adventurers Sarah and Dana at the helm. Kath and Jan are visited by two young (so damn young) girls who are pretty much the future of everything: antiques dealing, documentary filmmaking and best of all, food. Have you heard of Regenerative Organic Gardening? Yeah, neither had we. Learn all about it and how Sarah and Dana came literally sliding into Los Angeles after their harrowing escape from the largest landslide in California coastal history. Jan chimes in with her own narrow escape story from her bohemian youth while traveling in Tunisia. Kath talks about her fear of moving anywhere. An amazing and informative conversation that could have gone on forever! Find them on Instagram @backtoedengardening and @losagelessart, on eBay @losagelessart and on YouTube @danasarahfilms. Listen in!
Episode 8
Kath and Jan are visited by dear old pals Ralph Flores and Tom Carroll. Like Kath and Jan, they have known each other for over 40 years. Also, like Kath and Jan, only one of them does the cooking (Ralph). We talk of how we all came up together in Chicago and how Ralph inspired Kath early on with his incredible creative recipes and amazing parties. We hear stories of Ireland (Tom) and Mexico (Ralph). Kath tells a story about chocolate chip cookies with pine nuts and surprise tamales. Ralph encourages Kath to veer away from Excel and embrace improvisation (not bloody likely!) and also challenges Kath and Jan to rethink their general apathy and vitriol against Los Angeles food. Ralph gives them both a list of places to try, which Jan quickly steals. A wonderful visit with old friends who love food as much as we do! Listen in!
Episode 7
Judy’s Grandma - Gladys Doo Lee on the left!
Jan’s dear pal Judy Hing joins the podcast to discuss her long history of Asian food in California. From her grandfather’s Chinese restaurant in San Diego to her grandmother’s Chinese stall in the original Farmer’s Market, Judy tells a tale of growing up surrounded by food. We discuss the dichotomy between what Judy’s family would serve to American customers vs. what they actually ate at home, Judy’s shared cooking duties with her current partner, what she learned from the French and how she basically improvises a lot of her meals. Kath recalls her recent trip to Mexico and Jan tells a long story about Judy and the painstaking raspberries in a dessert. Kath also bemoans missing out on Judy’s recent cupcakes. A tasty conversation – listen in!
Episode 6
6059 Melrose Ave, LA!
When you lose weight, where does that fat go? Big Fat Myths by Ruben Meerman. Energy Density. Carbon Credits. Listening to your body. Losing weight, keeping it off and eating whatever you want, without the help of Big Pharma. Kath and Jan are joined by old friend and antique dealer extraordinaire Lynne, who takes them on her fascinating journey with food, weight loss, the American epidemic of obesity, the availability of food all the time, how our bodies are actually wired and what our complex relationship with food really boils down to: (hint: eat less and exercise more). Kath and Jan make some corrections to a previous podcast, Jan shares her childhood cookbook and Kath talks about a recent trip to Omaha and her obsession with a crostini appetizer that she had at a wedding feast! A powerhouse of a conversation – listen in!
Episode 5
Do you believe in elves? Kath and Jan do. We are joined by Kath’s old elf pal (long story) and fellow Capricorn Tom Hall, who became Jan’s instant BFF when he showed up with cookies. We discuss Tom and Jan’s shared Kentucky roots, we revisit the unfortunately named Hot Brown, we talk about San Diego Mexican vs. Los Angeles Mexican food and how the San Fernando Valley is an untapped treasure in the LA food scene. A great and lively conversation – listen in!
Episode 4
Photo by WeeGee but it could have been Kath & Jan back in the day!
Kath and Jan are flying solo today without a guest! We discuss many topics. Kath makes amends to Jan for constantly interrupting her. We talk about food recommendations that go nowhere, toughest recipes, easiest recipes, restaurants we miss in LA, Jan’s massive weekend of cooking for beloved family, how Jan almost burned down the house and herself, Kath’s bacon-taters moment and cooking for 40 people when you are only having 10 people over. Plus lots more. Listen in!
Episode 3
Kath and Jan are once again coming to you from Will’s studio in Santa Monica and today it’s All Things French as our chic and gorgeous pal Catherine Détraves comes by to discuss American vs. French food, child rearing, grocery stores, processed foods, culture, history, rillettes, cheese, unrefrigerated eggs and a host of other things. Jan recalls her days as an au pair in Paris and the magical power of the baguette. Kath talks about eating too fast and then tells a long pork story, after which an argument ensues regarding food spoilage – no surprise there. Listen in!
Episode 2
Kath and Jan are on the move and coming to you from Will E’s fabulous studio in Santa Monica (thank you Peerspace!) and today we are without Nick, but we have a special guest: Colleen Wainwright, a wonderful actress/writer and friend of the podcast. She talks about brown food, and other brown things in her remarkable journey from sickness to health using food as her main weapon in the fight against Big Pharma. We also discuss Kath’s use of the “F” bomb, more/less Jan, legal/illegal foods, the burden of cooking for one’s self constantly when your life depends on it, and then we all have a Matlock Meltdown (long story – Jan started it). Listen in!
Episode 1A
Kathryn Gallagher (Kath) and Jan Pessin (Jan) are Bitchin' About Food (and other things, but mostly food) one meal at a time. After their initial foray into the world of podcasting thanks to the generosity of Nick Sheist of THE SHEIST podcast (episode 90), Nick was nice enough to return again to recap Thanksgiving (covid, cranberries, and frozen turkey) and prepare for Christmas and New Year's meals, and all the meals in between. Kath discusses her turkey angst, Jan talks about Hot Brown (it's not what you think), and Nick pimps out his sister's Christmas cookies in a fun-filled holiday episode! It's Episode 1A of our very own podcast! We count Nick's as the official first one. Like and subscribe! Contact us at bafpod@gmail.com
Pilot Episode
Pilot Episode - Bitchin’ About Food with The Sheist (podcast #90 for his podcast). We are Kath & Jan and we are Bitchin' About Food. We love it. We hate it. We need it. Nick Sheist from the Sheist was nice enough to let us get our feet wet on his podcast. Welcome, Bitches!
