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The Leonard Lopate Show

Tuesday, July 22, 2008
  • wine
    (dawe2k5/flickr)

    Battle for Pleasures

    We’ve heard of Big Oil and Big Pharma. What's Big Wine? A wine journalist explains why she says we should reject Big Wine – viticulture as a business and technology – and return to the winemaking the way it used to be done. Also: Ruth Reichl takes your calls on all things food-related. A new novel set in pre-Castro Cuba. And to start us off: a sociologist who worked as a cop in Baltimore talks about life on the front lines of the war on drugs.

    We're hosting another FREE Lopate Show film screening on Monday, August 4! We'll be watching the 1972 film "The Candidate." Find out how to RSVP.

Cop in the Hood

While in grad school, sociologist Peter Moskos also became a police officer in a troubled neighborhood in Baltimore. He describes his life as an academic-turned-cop in his new book, Cop in the Hood: My Year Policing Baltimore’s Eastern District.

Listen to Leonard talk to 3 actors from "The Wire," which takes place in the same neighborhood Peter Moskos worked in

Big Wine

We’ve heard of Big Oil and Big Pharma…but Big Wine? Wine journalist Alice Feiring says we should reject Big Wine – viticulture as a business and technology – and return to the way things used to be done. Her new book is The Battle for Wine and Love.

American Expats in Pre-Castro Cuba

Rachel Kushner’s debut novel, Telex from Cuba, weaves together family stories and archival research to paint a portrait of the lives of American expats in pre-Castro Cuba.

Events: Rachel Kushner will be speaking and signing books
Tuesday, July 22 at 7 pm
The Old American Can Factory
232 3rd Street (at 3rd Avenue)
Gowanus, Brooklyn

Rachel Kushner will be speaking and signing books
Wednesday, July 23 at 7 pm
192 Books
192 10th Avenue (at 21st Street)

Ask Ruth Reichl

If you’ve got a food-related question that’s burning a hole in your recipe book, now's your chance to ask Gourmet magazine editor-in-chief Ruth Reichl any question you’d like on the subject of food. Whether you want to know how to make the perfect pie crust or her favorite recipe for rhubarb or even why she carries a hunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano in her pocketbook, Ruth would love to answer your questions -- so give us a call at 646-778-3729!

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?