“The smell of good bread baking, like the sound of lightly flowing water, is indescribable in its evocation of innocence and delight… [Breadmaking is] one of those almost hypnotic businesses, like a dance from some ancient ceremony. It leaves you filled with one of the world’s sweetest smells… there is no chiropractic treatment, no Yoga exercise, no hour of meditation in a music-throbbing chapel. that will leave you emptier of bad thoughts than this homely ceremony of making bread.” — MFK Fisher, one of the preeminent American food writers Photo credit: Robin & Sue Photograpy Bread is my f ..read more

In April, 2020, the New York Times ran a story by Michael Corkery and David Yaffe-Bellany about how many of the nation’s largest farms are struggling with this pandemic. It opened the world’s eyes to how farmers who service the restaurant, school, and hotel industies have been forced to destroy tens of millions of pounds of fresh food that they can no longer sell.   Who knew that there were two separate supply chains? One for grocery stores and another for corporate and industrial food.  While American’s are struggling to put food on their tables, farmers are dumping thousands ..read more

Medicine has always has always been Dr. Mona Ezzat Velinov’s passion, and family medicine in particular provides her an opportunity to develop meaningful, long-term relationships with patients. As a young medical student, Dr. Mona was fascinated with the work of Dr. Andrew Weil, and the idea of helping the body to achieve balance naturally. She went through her own health issues, including treatment for thyroid cancer and started searching for answers as to why and how she developed the illness. Dr. Mona wanted to know what she could do to heal and how to stay healthy throughout her life. Thi ..read more

Dr. Ron Weiss is not your typical doctor.  His primary care practice is located on a 342 acres of farm in Long Valley, New Jersey where he grows beyond organic produce for his patients.  Otherwise known as the farm doctor, he believes that food-is-medicine and in a Farm Based Health Care System. Dr. Ron Weiss, M.D. is an Assistant Professor of Clinical Medicine at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School and founder of the Ethos Farm Project, a semifinalist in the Rockefeller Foundation 2050 Food System Vision Prize competition. In 1992, Dr. Weiss’ father was diagnosed with pancreati ..read more

More than 26 million people in the United States have now filed unemployment in the five weeks since the coronavirus outbreak began forcing millions of businesses to close their doors. The unemployment rate is pushing toward 15 percent. This pandemic could plunge New York City into the worst economic crisis since the 1970s, costing the city 475,000 jobs and nearly $10 billion in revenue. But with all these job losses there are still some businesses that are hiring and new jobs are being created. But how do you get these jobs?   Today, I am speaking with Jessica Johnson and Regg ..read more

Today, I am speaking with not only two very talented people but the nicest couple I know.  I have known Tariq and Michelle Trotter for about 10 years. Our kids used to go to school together. You may not know Tariq by his given name, he is better known as Black Thought, the lead emcee for Philadelphia-based hip hop group The Roots, one of the best known hip hop bands of all time and the house band for the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon. The Roots have been nominated for 14 Grammys and won 3 — including best R & B album and best R & B vocal performance.  Michelle has been ..read more

Years ago my husband, Lewis, did business and financial public relations for David Bouley. At that time, Lewis met Steven Hall who was Bouley’s publicist. After starting this podcast, Lewis and I were talking about who would be great guests to interview and he immediately said I should reach out to Steven Hall, who not only represents the who’s who in the food and hospitality industry, but has had his finger on the pulse of the industry for over 25 year.   Originally, I thought Steven could hook me up to speak with some of his clients but then I thought who better to talk to was Ste ..read more

For more than 50 years, Ralph Nader has been working to increase goverment and corporate accountability.  His first book in 1965, Unsafe at Any Speed, was instrumental in forcing the auto industry to install seatbelts in cars. Ralph’s continuing advocacy has been instrumental in changing food policy. While Ralph Nader has been in the public eye for decades, what some of you might not know about him is his lifelong commitment to healthy eating and food. Born in Connecticut to Lebanese parents, Nader’s appreciation of food began at an early age. His mother was on the forfront of ..read more

Circle Brook Farm For this episode I am speaking with John Krueger from Circle Brook Farm located in Andover, New Jersey.  John and I have known each other for almost 10 years.  Every summer Circle Brook provides my food cooperative, Farm & Fork Society, with an amazing variety of seasonal vegetables.  John’s farm is a diversified, certified organic, vegetable farm. He grows almost every type of produce possible in our New Jersey climate.  John specializes in heirloom varieties and even finds exotic varieties on his yearly trips to South and Central America and grows th ..read more

Before the Coronavirus hit our shores, there were many people in need across the country.  This has only amplified since this pandemic has been spreading across the United States. As of this recording, worldwide there are over 285,000 case. In the U.S., there are almost 20,000 confirmed cases. My small town in New Jersey currently has seven cases and since the first case, it has doubled every four days. This is scary stuff for all of us. Many of us are stocking up on food in worries of supply chain interruptions.  But what if you were worried about your next meal prior to COVID ..read more