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On Demand

The Leonard Lopate Show

Thursday, July 05, 2007
  • eggs

    How to Boil an Egg

    What happens when you boil an egg? What makes white meat white? On today's show, the guru of molecular gastronomy solves the mysteries of kitchen science with guest host Julie Burstein. Then, one man chronicles his stormy lifelong love affair with the guitar. Actress Brenda Blethyn talks about her latest role in an Australian comedy. Plus: how graphic design affects nearly every aspect of our lives. Graphic design expert Michael Bierut will be on hand to answer your questions about logos, packaging, and fonts.

Solving the Mysteries of Cooking

Harold McGee, the "guru of molecular gastronomy," solves the mysteries of cooking....from what happens when you boil an egg, to whether searing really does seal in flavor. McGee's classic book, On Food and Cooking, helped food lovers and cooks understand kitchen science when it was first published over 20 years ago. It's just been published in a new and updated edition.

Harold McGee's website

On Food and Cooking is available for purchase at amazon.com


Event: Harold McGee will be leading a seminar at
The French Culinary Institute
July 14 through 16
For more information, visit the FCI’s website.

Practice, Practice, Practice

Glenn Kurtz fell in love with the guitar at an early age, and set his sights on a career as a classical guitarist. He was well on his way to achieving that when he abandoned the guitar in his twenties. He returned to it a decade later. Kurtz's new memoir, Practicing, chronicles his up-and-down love affair with the guitar.

Practicing is available for purchase at amazon.com


Event: Glenn Kurtz will be speaking and signing books, along with a performance by classical guitarist Nadav Lev
Monday, July 23 at 7 pm
Lincoln Square Barnes & Noble
1972 Broadway, at 66th Street

Brenda Blethyn

Brenda Blethyn is one of Britain's most celebrated actors in film, television, and theater. Her new film is an Australian comedy called "Introducing the Dwights." Blethyn plays an aspiring comedienne who has a hard time accepting her son's new girlfriend.

Graphic Design Can Cause Seizures

In a world where a logo can induce epileptic seizures (as did the 2012 London Olympics logo), being a graphic designer involves a lot of responsibility. Graphic design expert and critic Michael Bierut joins us to answer your questions about logos, packaging, and fonts. His recent book is Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design.

Seventy-nine Short Essays is available for purchase at amazon.com

Tributes: Jeanne-Claude

The Leonard Lopate Show

Jeanne-Claude created environmental works of art with her husband and fellow-conspirator/collaborator Christo. Together, they wrapped the Reichstag in Berlin, the Pont-Neuf in Paris, and created The Gates, with billowy orange drapes, in Central Park. Jeanne-Claude just died at the age of 74. You can hear Leonard Lopate’s last interview with them both, from July 19, 1999.

Let’s Go Swimming!

The Leonard Lopate Show

According to the Centers for Disease Control, bacterial, viral, and parasitic organisms found in recreational water in the United States sicken thousands of people every year, and even result in deaths. We’ll speak with chemist and industrial hygienist Monona Rossol about the protozoa, amoebas and other things that love to go swimming with us. Monona is also founder and President of Arts, Crafts and Theater Safety.

Frank McCourt

The Leonard Lopate Show

Frank McCourt has been a guest many times on this show over the years, starting in 1996 for the memoir, Angela’s Ashes, that would earn him a Pulitzer Prize. Fame came to him late in life, after he’d retired at the age of 65 from teaching English and creative writing at public schools here in New York. He was a sweet, eloquent man who spoke with grace and humility; he just died at the age of 78 after a battle with cancer. You can hear him speaking with Leonard Lopate for his Survival Kit in 2000, and in 2005, for his memoir, Teacher Man.

Science and Faith

The Leonard Lopate Show

Earlier this week, Pres. Obama announced that he plans to nominate geneticist Dr. Francis Collins to lead the National Institutes of Health. You can listen to Leonard’s 2006 conversation with Dr. Collins about how he reconciles his personal faith with his professional scientific knowledge.

FDA to Regulate Tobacco?

The Leonard Lopate Show

May 14, 2009
Congress is getting ready to a vote on whether to make tobacco subject to FDA regulation. You can listen to a segment we did in May about the bill and what it would mean for the cigarette companies.

Our 3-ingredient Challenge wins a James Beard Award

The Leonard Lopate Show

On May 3, the Lopate Show won its third James Beard Award for our 3-ingredient challenge. In August, we asked our listeners to call in and name 3 ingredients and then challenged New York chef and 3-ingredient expert Rozanne Gold to whip up a recipe! You can listen to the 3-ingredient challenge and get some inspiration for simple, delicious, and unexpected dishes.

Leonard is on Facebook

Now Leonard is on Facebook! We’re posting photos, status updates, links to notable interviews, and lots more. Check it out.

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

Listen to President-Elect Barack Obama on the Leonard Lopate Show in November 2004. He had recently won a seat in the U.S. Senate, and only a few months before, his rousing speech during the 2004 Democratic National Convention catapulted him into the national spotlight.