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The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, July 17, 2007
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  • 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?

Sarah Palin

Gov. Sarah Palin and Alaska Politics

The Leonard Lopate Show

August 08, 2008
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is Sen. John McCain’s VP running mate. To find out more about Gov. Palin and Alaska politics, check out our States of the Union: Alaska segment from Aug. 8, 2008.

Joe Biden

Sen. Joe Biden on the Lopate Show

The Leonard Lopate Show

Sen. Obama has chosen Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware to be his running mate. To find out more about his personal and political life, listen to Leonard’s Aug. 2007 interview with Sen. Biden. At the time, the Senator from Delaware was still a contender for the Democratic presidential nomination.

Barack Obama

Barack Obama, Circa 2004

The Leonard Lopate Show

As the Democratic Convention is underway in Denver, listen to 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.

John McCain

John McCain in 2000

The Leonard Lopate Show

Sen. John McCain spoke with Leonard in September 2000 about his memoir, Faith of My Fathers. He discussed his family's naval background, his time in POW camps, as well as his own presidential ambitions for the 2000 election.

States of the Union

States of the Union

The Leonard Lopate Show

Why is New York a blue state, Wyoming a red, and Ohio a shade of purple? Looking ahead to Election Day 2008, Leonard talks to journalists, scholars, and activists from each of the 50 states to find out what motivates voters from Maine to California.

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?

  1. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from Denver (08/29/2008)
  2. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Republican National Convention: Day 2 (09/02/2008)
  3. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Republican National Convention: Day 4 (09/04/2008)
  4. The Leonard Lopate Show: Young'Uns (09/03/2008)
  5. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Republican National Convention: Day 3 (09/03/2008)
  6. The Brian Lehrer Show: Live from the Republican National Convention: Day 1 (09/01/2008)
  7. The Leonard Lopate Show: Big Storm (09/04/2008)