Your Last Meal With Rachel Belle

Actor, filmmaker and restaurant-owner Zach Braff (Scrubs, Alex Inc, Garden State) was born and raised in New Jersey - home to the highest percentage of Italian Americans in the country. And for his last meal, he's sticking close to his roots!  Host Rachel Belle digs into the cheesy, saucy and fascinating history of Italian food in America with Krishnendu Ray, Department Chair of the Food Studies Program at NYU. Then she talks with cookbook author and Long Island native Amy Pennington about how to make the perfect red-checkered-tablecloth-and-Chianti-bottle-candleholder chicken parm.   Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Jennifer Pharr Davis is a long-distance hiker, speaker, and author who's hiked over 14,000 miles on 6 continents. Host Rachel Belle consults rock climber and James Beard Award winning chef Maria Hines, and "Dirty Gourmet" author Emily Nielson, about how to step up your outdoor food game, whether it's hiking, backpacking, or car camping. Check out Jennifer's book "The Pursuit of Endurance" and all of her other projects - including Blue Ridge Hiking Company in Ashville, NC, at jenniferpharrdavis.com. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kenny G is the best selling instrumentalist of all time. He has sold over 75 million albums, tours all over the globe, and holds the Guinness Book of World Records record for holding the longest note on a saxophone. But he's also very into cooking! Kenny G spills the beans on the iconic coffee drink he helped invent and which supermodel gave him his pie crust recipe. Special thanks to Ellia Kassoff of Leaf Candy. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Linda Perry is singer, songwriter, and producer behind massive hits for Adele, Weezer, Christina Aguilera, Alicia Keys, Gwen Stefani, Pink, and, of course, the writer/singer behind the 90s hit "What's Up" by her former band 4 Non Blondes. But what would this musical maestro choose for her last meal? Spoiler alert: She's way more into music than food. Which got us thinking - is there any correlation between music and taste? To get answers, Rachel talks with Professor Charles Spence of The University of Oxford about what he calls "Sonic Seasoning," his 15 year study of how sound and music can affect the enjoyability of food, and why people drink so much tomato juice on airplanes. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Lindy West is a New York Times best-selling author, including the book Shrill, which was turned into a TV show. Lindy details a six course last meal feast that features smorkage, a flaky, buttery, custardy Danish pastry only available at a single bakery in the United States. Host Rachel Belle travels to Seattle's Larsen's Bakery to taste the impossible-to-pronounce Danish pastry. Lindy, a self-described "fat" person, talks about what it's like to eat in public, why she grudgingly orders honeydew, and shares a humiliating story that involves a personal pan pepperoni pizza and an episode of This American Life. Then things get "hygge!" The Scandinavian concept of coziness, comfortable conviviality, and contentment. Rachel chats with Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen, and food anthropologist Signe Johansen. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subs

Maria Shriver wants a burger and fries for her last meal. But it's WHERE she wants to eat it that's most interesting of all! We'll learn the earliest origins of the hamburger from burger authority, documentarian, and TV host George Motz, author of "The Great American Burger Book." Thrillist writer Kevin Alexander spent a year traveling the USA with the express mission of eating 330 burgers and compiling a list of his favorite 100. Which burger is best? You'll have to listen to find out! And finally, we are humbled and honored to announce that Your Last Meal has been nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award for Best Podcast! Rachel and Aaron will be attending the award ceremony in NYC on April 27. Fingers crossed! Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for p

Travel expert, TV & radio host, author, and activist Rick Steves has been taking people all around the planet for decades. And his passion for unique and authentic experiences, living in the moment, and trying new things matches perfectly with how Rick chose to have his last meal. Rick has also been a longtime proponent of legalizing marijuana, so host Rachel Belle gets to the bottom of how cannabis confections are created with Jody Hall, founder the edibles company The Goodship. And finally, Rachel talks with her co-worker, KIRO Radio host John Curley, about how he's vowed to only order food recommended by a server in 2017. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Nicki Bluhm is one of Rachel's favorite singer/songwriters, touring with the likes of Josh Ritter and The Wood Brothers. She's also the fourth person to choose steak as their last meal! So on this episode of YLM, Rachel covers something she hasn't in any of the previous beefisodes: the history of the American Steakhouse. But steak isn't usually on the menu for Nicki, who eats according to a 5000 year-old Ayurvedic diet. Rachel's yoga instructor and Ayurvedic practitioner Jodi Boone is here to explain way of eating that's believed to be the most ancient healing system in the world. Nicki is going on tour in April. Find her schedule at nickibluhm.com. And keep up with Jodi at jodiboone.com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In 2004, Jeopardy champion Ken Jennings won 74 episodes in a row, making him the record holder for longest winning streak. And 14 years later, host Rachel Belle decided it would finally be a good idea to interview him. Ken shares Alex Trebek's strange and sugary breakfast choice (you'll never guess), he explains why Jeopardy contestants have to eat lunch together and tells us why he doesn't want to be known as a "BBQ guy." He also clues us in to the regional food of Utah: Jell-O! We learn the history of Jell-O with Lynne Belluscio, executive director of the Jell-O Gallery in LeRoy, NY. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Greta Gerwig is the Golden Globe winning writer/director of "Lady Bird," and star of one of host Rachel Belle's all-time favorite films "Francis Ha." And her last meal is pure nostalgia. Food Network star Molly Yeh shares the secrets behind perfecting her own Funfetti cake - which she makes from scratch. Even the sprinkles! Greta shares what it's like to meet Justin Timberlake, the surprising origins of the "You Are Special" plate, and we hear what YOU would have as your last meal. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Filmmaker Guillermo del Toro (The Shape of Water, Pan's Labyrinth​, Hellboy) dishes about his two homes full of monster memorabilia, about his obsession with monsters, his latest Golden Globe nominated project "The Shape of Water," and more! We also learn about the fairy-tale origin, and incredibly complicated process, of making mole from Iliana de la Vega, a Mexican-born chef, restaurateur and former Mexican/Latin Cuisines Specialist for The Culinary Institute of America. Many of us have a disgusting creature in our daily lives: the office fridge! So King County Health Inspector Mike Simpson drops by the KIRO Radio station to assess our own slimy, green monster. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Top Chef judge Gail Simmons travels the world eating incredible cuisine made by some of the best chefs on the planet. So what would she choose for her last meal? Banoffee Pie is a ubiquitous dish in British culture, but host Rachel Belle had never even heard of it! So she talks to its creator Ian Dowding to get the scoop on the history and incredible popularity of this delicious dessert. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

D'Arcy Carden is on fire! Best known as Janet, the Siri-esque robot (not a robot) concierge on NBC's hit show "The Good Place," the veteran Upright Citizen's Brigade performer played Gemma on Comedy Central's "Broad City" and just happens to be old pals with our very own Rachel Belle! Rachel talks to Alan Finklestein, McDonalds owner and American success story, about one of the world's most perfect foods: The McDonald's french fry. And, things get real sweet with Lauren Wilson, owner of Sweet Lo's Ice Cream, who gives us the scoop on Rocky Road. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

There is nothing celebrity chef Paula Deen won't put butter on, and that includes her last meal, which is topped with a big ol' dollop. She tells host Rachel Belle that her love of cooking blossomed during the two decades she spent in her house, dealing with agoraphobia. Plus, a little history lesson from the Idaho Potato Commission on how steak became best friends with the baked potato. And Rachel takes us on a field trip to Seattle's Wedgwood Broiler, her favorite place in the world to get a fully loaded spud. But the thing you really don't want to miss is Paula's signature cackle, which is liberally sprinkled across the episode like bacon bits on a baked potato. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Controversial "shock jock" Tom Leykis has been on the air for decades and made his fair share of enemies with his polarizing views on women and relationships. But nobody is one-dimensional, and in her effort to get to the bottom of why Tom is the way he is, Rachel discovered a man who makes his own wine, loves to experiment in the kitchen, and refuses to buy meat from a grocery store. We talk to Tom's butcher, Lou DeRosa of Marconda's Meats, the oldest standing meat market in Los Angeles, where 3 generations of DeRosa butchers have been working since 1941. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The "Clueless" star admits that although she's been vegan since 1998, she's most tempted by delicious cheese, so we talk to Youssef Fakhouri, owner of Alicia's (and LA's) favorite vegan cheese shop, Vromage. And remember that 2012 video of Alicia feeding her child like a baby bird? It caused quite the stir, so Rachel gets to the bottom of "premastication" with Melanie Martin, post-doctoral associate at Yale University in the field of Biological Anthropology. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scoop up this slice of Your Last Meal featuring Seattle Seahawks center Justin Britt, featuring the food Rachel's been dying to delve into: pizza. You'll learn the history of pizza in the United States with Scott Weiner of New York Scott's Pizza Tours and find out buckets of fascinating food info morsels about the world of Major League Eating with Crazy Legs Conti. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Singer Mary Lambert, made famous by her stunning vocal accompaniment to the smash hit "Same Love" by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, is now a solo star in her own right. Mary brings pure joy and candor to her music and everything she does -- and she is very passionate about food. Tuck into one of the most delightful interviews you'll ever hear, and learn the not-so-true origins of chicken fried steak. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

James Beard Award Nominated Episode for Best Podcast! Jenny Slate (Landline, Obvious Child, Parks & Rec, Marcel the Shell) exposes her sweet tooth on this edition of YLM: her last meal includes a slice of cherry pie and a Shirley Temple! What comes to mind when you think of cherry pie? If you're like Rachel, two things: that famous Warrant song, and Twin Peaks. So we've got both! Rachel talks to Warrant's guitar player, Joey Allen, about the history behind their iconic song "Cherry Pie," and why he can no longer eat it. Also, we're live from Twede's Cafe in North Bend, WA, better known as the Double R Diner in David Lynch's "Twin Peaks," for Rachel's first ever slice of cherry pie and she talks to owner Kyle Twede about what goes into their famous dessert. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995

Mary Roach writes brilliant nonfiction books about science and the human body that are gripping, hilarious, and usually really gross. Which is why we weren't surprised that the reason Mary wants oysters for her last year...is also kind of gross! Host Rachel Belle digs into the myths behind oysters with Rowan Jacobsen, author of "The Essential Oyster," and food & science collide as we meet Tom Ryan: CEO of Smashburger, and the inventor of McDonalds' Flury, McGriddles, and Pizza Hut's stuffed-crust pizza. Follow along on Instagram! Please subscribe to the *new* Your Last Meal newsletter so you can be the first to know about events, giveaways & content only available to subscribers!Support Cascade PBS: https://secure.cascadepublicmedia.org/page/133995/donate/1/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.