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The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
  • cheese shop (loop oh/flickr)
    (loop oh/flickr)

    May the Best Cheese Win

    On today's show: a cheese taste-off between France and the USA. American cheesemakers' reputations have lagged behind the French, but with a cheese renaissance happening in states like Vermont and Wisconsin, the Americans might be catching up. Then, a look at the diversity of Indian cuisine, beyond saag paneer and naan. Also, new archaeological details about Petra, which was the capital of a powerful Middle Eastern trading empire 2,000 years ago. And Robert Novak on his 50 year career covering politics in Washington, DC.

France vs. USA: May the Best Cheese Win

In the past, American cheesemakers' reputations have lagged behind the French. Now we'll do a taste test and find out whether America's cheeses have caught up. Ruth Reichl of Gourmet magazine joins cheesemongers Rob Kaufelt of Murray's cheese and Anne Saxelby of Saxelby's Cheese.

Here are the cheeses we're tasting on-air today:
French
Valencay (goats' cheese)
Pyrenee Brebis (raw sheep's milk from the Pyrenees)
Chatelain Camembert
Persille de Malzieu
Mimolette (cows' milk, from Flanders and other parts of northern France)

American
Twig Farm Square Cheese (raw goats' milk, West Cornwall, VT)
Jasper Hill Farm Constant Bliss (raw cows' milk, Greensboro, VT)
Woodcock Farm Weston Wheel (raw sheeps' milk, Weston, VT)
Birchrun Hills Farm Birchrun Blue (raw cows' milk, Chester Springs, PA)
Uplands Farm Pleasant Ridge Reserve (raw cows' milk, Dodgeville, WI)

Go here to see Ruth's recipe for macaroni and cheese

Weigh in: Do you think you could tell the difference between French and American cheeses in a blind taste test?

Eating India

What most Americans know as Indian food is actually Punjabi. India's cuisine is much more diverse, and reflects generations of newcomers -- like ancient Aryan tribes, Middle Eastern Jews, Arabs, and Europeans. Culinary historian and native Bengali Chitrita Banerjee is the author of the new book Eating India.

Eating India is available for purchase at amazon.com

Weigh in: Do you have a favorite regional cuisine of India?

Petra

Reconstructing Petra

Two thousand years ago, ancient Petra was the wealthy capital of a powerful trading empire. In the 19th century, its ruins became a destination for wealthy tourists, but because the Jordanian government couldn't afford excavations, Petra's history remained largely unknown. Now archaeologists are piecing together a more complete picture of Petra in its heyday. Leonard talks to Andrew Lawler, author of the recent Smithsonian article "Reconstructing Petra"; and Christopher Tuttle, a Brown University graduate student in archeology who works on the site.

Go here for photos of Petra. Brown University's Petra excavation website also has many helpful photos and diagrams.

Slideshow: Petra

Robert Novak, Prince of Darkness

Robert Novak has been covering politics in Washington, DC for fifty years now. His career was in jeopardy when he revealed the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame in 2003; more recently, he told the New York Times Magazine that he thinks Scooter Libby should be pardoned for his role in the leak. His new memoir is Prince of Darkness.

Prince of Darkness is available for purchase at amazon.com

Weigh in: Do you agree with Robert Novak that Scooter Libby should be pardoned?

Patrick Swayze

The Leonard Lopate Show

Patrick Swayze mixed grace with athleticism in his movies – and rose to stardom with roles in “Dirty Dancing” and “Ghost.” He died just recently after a battle with pancreatic cancer. And you can hear his interview with Leonard Lopate from July 16, 2002, when he came by to discuss appearing in the film, “Green Dragon.”

The Silver Anniversary of the Silver Palate

The Leonard Lopate Show

Sheila Lukins was one half of a partnership that helped popularize gourmet cooking throughout America – first, through their gourmet food shop in New York City and then with the cookbook, The Silver Palate, which remains one of the top-selling cookbooks of all time. She collaborated on 2 other cookbooks that simplified gourmet cooking for the home cook. She died recently from brain cancer at the age of 66, and you can listen to her 2007 conversation with Leonard Lopate and her business partner Julee Rosso about the 25th Anniversary of the publication of The Silver Palate.

Dominick Dunne

The Leonard Lopate Show

Dominick Dunne was a famous novelist and Hollywood producer. But he may be best remembered for covering trials of the rich and famous – from Claus von Bulow to O. J. Simpson. He died just recently at the age of 83. But you can still hear his interview with Leonard from November 23, 2001, when he was discussing crimes, trials, and punishments.

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.

Guest Picks

The Leonard Lopate Show

Find out surprising facts about some recent guests on the Leonard Lopate Show. Check out our Guest Picks section! Did you know that football star Herschel Walker loves Judge Judy, Laurie Anderson is a big fan of agility training for dogs, and Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi likes Johnny Depp?