The Faith Middleton Show - Podcast

FMS: Politics, Burgers & Beer

cwolf — Fri, 07 May 2010 07:12:15 -0500

05/06/2010 - The stock market, the Times Square terrorism attempt, the economy and more are covered in this edition of Politics, Burgers & Beer!

Episode Audio

48:48 minutes (23.43 MB)
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FMS: The Food Schmooze!

cwolf — Thu, 06 May 2010 07:18:01 -0500

05/06/2010 - From Ad Hoc at Home: Buttermilk Fried Chicken If there's a better fried chicken, I haven't tasted it. First, and critically, the chicken is brined for 12 hours in a herb-lemon brine, which seasons the meat and helps it stay juicy. The flour is seasoned with garlic and onion powders, paprika, cayenne, salt, and pepper. The chicken is dredged in the seasoned flour, dipped in buttermilk, and then dredged again in the flour. The crust becomes almost feathered and is very crisp. Fried chicken is a great American tradition that’s fallen out of favor. A taste of this, and you will want it back in your weekly routine. --Thomas Keller Ingredients (Serves 4-6) Two 2 1/2- to 3-pound chickens (see Note on Chicken Size) Chicken Brine (recipe follows), cold For Dredging and Frying Peanut or canola oil for deep-frying 1 quart buttermilk Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper Coating 6 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 cup garlic powder 1/4 cup onion powder 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon paprika 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cayenne 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Ground fleur de sel or fine sea salt Rosemary and thyme sprigs for garnish Directions Cut each chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters, and 2 wings. Pour the brine into a container large enough to hold the chicken pieces, add in the chicken, and refrigerate for 12 hours (no longer, or the chicken may become too salty). Remove the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse under cold water, removing any herbs or spices sticking to the skin. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry. Let rest at room temperature for 1-1/2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature. If you have two large pots (about 6 inches deep) and a lot of oil, you can cook the dark and white meat at the same time; if not, cook the dark meat first, then turn up the heat and cook the white meat. No matter what size pot you have, the oil should not come more than one-third of the way up the sides of the pot. Fill the pot with at least 2 inches of peanut oil and heat to 320°F. Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Meanwhile, combine all the coating ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer half the coating to a second large bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set up a dipping station: the chicken pieces, one bowl of coating, the bowl of buttermilk, the second bowl of coating, and the parchment-lined baking sheet. Just before frying, dip the chicken thighs into the first bowl of coating, turning to coat and patting off the excess; dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to run back into the bowl; then dip them into the second bowl of coating. Transfer to the parchment-lined pan. Carefully lower the thighs into the hot oil. Adjust the heat as necessary to return the oil to the proper temperature. Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully move the chicken pieces around in the oil and continue to fry, monitoring the oil temperature and turning the pieces as necessary for even cooking, for 11 to 12 minutes, until the chicken is a deep golden brown, cooked through, and very crisp. Meanwhile, coat the chicken drumsticks and transfer to the parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer the cooked thighs to the cooling rack skin-side-up and let rest while you fry the remaining chicken. (Putting the pieces skin-side-up will allow excess fat to drain, whereas leaving them skin-side-down could trap some of the fat.) Make sure that the oil is at the correct temperature, and cook the chicken drumsticks. When the drumsticks are done, lean them meat-side-up against the thighs to drain, then sprinkle the chicken with fine sea salt. Turn up the heat and heat the oil to 340°F. Meanwhile, coat the chicken breasts and wings. Carefully lower the chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry for 7 minutes, or until golden brown, cooked through, and crisp. Transfer to the rack, sprinkle with salt, and turn skin side up. Cook the wings for 6 minutes, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer the wings to the rack and turn off the heat. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter. Add the herb sprigs to the oil (which will still be hot) and let them cook and crisp for a few seconds, then arrange them over the chicken. Note on Chicken Size: You may need to go to a farmers' market to get these small chickens. Grocery store chickens often run 3 to 4 pounds. They can, of course, be used in this recipe but if chickens in the 2-1/2- to 3-pound range are available to you, they're worth seeking out. They’re a little easier to cook properly at the temperatures we recommend here and, most important, pieces this size result in the optimal meat-to-crust proportion, which is such an important part of the pleasure of fried chicken. Note: We let the chicken rest for 7 to 10 minutes after it comes out of the fryer so that it has a chance to cool down. If the chicken has rested for longer than 10 minutes, put the tray of chicken in a 400°F oven for a minute or two to ensure that the crust is crisp and the chicken is hot. Chicken Brine Makes 2 gallons 5 lemons, halved 24 bay leaves 1 bunch (4 ounces) flat-leaf parsley 1 bunch (1 ounce) thyme 1/2 cup clover honey 1 head garlic, halved through the equator 3/4 cup black peppercorns 2 cups (10 ounces) kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal 2 gallons water The key ingredient here is the lemon, which goes wonderfully with chicken, as do the herbs: bay leaf, parsley, and thyme. This amount of brine will be enough for 10 pounds. Combine all the ingredients in a large pot, cover, and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve the salt. Remove from the heat and cool completely, then chill before using. The brine can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Wine Tasting: 2 wines featured on the show from Hugel & Fils The wines were the Gentil 2007 or 2008 (about $10.99) and the Pino Gris 2006 (about 19.99) both by Hugel http://www.hugel.com/en/

Episode Audio

48:55 minutes (23.48 MB)
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FMS: Remembering Lynn Redgrave

cwolf — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:30:28 -0500

05/05/2010 - Revisit a conversation from two years ago between Faith and Lynn about what it means to leave a mark before you die.

Episode Audio

18:51 minutes (9.05 MB)
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FMS: The Children's Museum

cwolf — Wed, 05 May 2010 07:49:58 -0500

05/05/2010 - Director Kevin Sullivan chats with Faith about upcoming events at The Children's Museum! The Children’s Museum provides rich learning experiences in science and nature for all ages. Exploration of our multi-level museum captures imaginations and develops a sense of curiosity about the natural world.

Episode Audio

12:00 minutes (5.76 MB)
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FMS: "The Secret Life of the Grown-up Brain"

cwolf — Tue, 04 May 2010 07:20:08 -0500

05/03/2010 - Product Description from Amazon.com: A leading science writer examines how the brain's capacity reaches its peak in middle age For many years, scientists thought that the human brain simply decayed over time and its dying cells led to memory slips, fuzzy logic, negative thinking, and even depression. But new research from neuroscientists and psychologists suggests that, in fact, the brain reorganizes, improves in important functions, and even helps us adopt a more optimistic outlook in middle age. Growth of white matter and brain connectors allow us to recognize patterns faster, make better judgments, and find unique solutions to problems. Scientists call these traits cognitive expertise and they reach their highest levels in middle age. In her impeccably researched book, science writer Barbara Strauch explores the latest findings that demonstrate, through the use of technology such as brain scans, that the middle-aged brain is more flexible and more capable than previously thought. For the first time, long-term studies show that our view of middle age has been misleading and incomplete. By detailing exactly the normal, healthy brain functions over time, Strauch also explains how its optimal processes can be maintained. Part scientific survey, part how-to guide, The Secret Life of the Grown-Up Brain is a fascinating glimpse at our surprisingly talented middle-aged minds.

Episode Audio

18:01 minutes (8.65 MB)
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FMS: CT Forensic Science Lab

cwolf — Tue, 04 May 2010 07:39:29 -0500

05/03/2010 - Join Faith Middleton for a look inside a high-tech, crime-solving forensic laboratory in Meriden, Connecticut.

Episode Audio

31:25 minutes (15.08 MB)
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FMS: "Gardening for a Lifetime: How to Garden Wiser as You Grow Older"

cwolf — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:23:55 -0500

04/30/2010 - From Amazon.com: Sooner or later, every older gardener faces a similar challenge. At some point, we all find ourselves asking “If I can’t get out there and dig, plant, and prune as I used to, what am I going to do?” The garden has been an everyday part of Sydney Eddison’s life for over forty years. It has witnessed the changing of seasons, her greatest joys, and her deepest sorrows. The garden and the gardener have aged and changed together. Gardening for a Lifetime is a touching memoir about having to scale back after widowhood and painful joints made it impossible to keep up with a large country garden. Intermixing personal experience with practical gardening tips, Eddison has written an encouraging roadmap for accepting and embracing a new and simpler way of gardening. Elegant black and white illustrations evoke Eddison’s everyday joy, sorrow, and contentment in the garden. Gentle, personable, and practical, Gardening for a Lifetime helps transform gardening from a list of daunting chores into the rewarding, joy-filled activity it was meant to be.

Episode Audio

22:06 minutes (10.61 MB)
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FMS: "The Season of Second Chances"

cwolf — Mon, 03 May 2010 10:11:14 -0500

04/30/2010 - From Amazon.com: A world of possibilities opens up for Joy Harkness when she sets out on a journey that’s going to show her the importance of friendship, love, and what makes a house a home Coming-of-age can happen at any age. Joy Harkness had built a university career and a safe life in New York, protected and insulated from the intrusions and involvements of other people. When offered a position at Amherst College, she impulsively leaves the city, and along with generations of material belongings, she packs her equally heavy emotional baggage. A tumbledown Victorian house proves an unlikely choice for a woman whose family heirlooms have been boxed away for years. Nevertheless, this white elephant becomes the home that changes Joy forever. As the restoration begins to take shape, so does her outlook on life, and the choices she makes over paint chips, wallpaper samples, and floorboards are reflected in her connection to the co-workers who become friends and friendships that deepen. A brilliant, quirky, town fixture of a handyman guides the renovation of the house and sparks Joy’s interest to encourage his personal and professional growth. Amid the half-wanted attention of the campus’s single, middle-aged men, known as “the Coyotes,”and the legitimate dramas of her close-knit community, Joy learns that the key to the affection of family and friends is being worthy of it, and most important, that second chances are waiting to be discovered within us all.

Episode Audio

12:38 minutes (6.07 MB)
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FMS: Green Building with the Kantor Home

cwolf — Mon, 03 May 2010 07:37:15 -0500

04/30/2010 - Get a preview of the Kantor home, a new energy-saving home opening soon in Connecticut for public inspection, sponsored by the CT Clean Energy Fund and PACE Clean Energy! The tour is Saturday, May 15, 2010, rain or shine.

Episode Audio

14:43 minutes (7.07 MB)
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FMS: "Mike Colameco's Food Lover's Guide to New York City"

cwolf — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 07:32:53 -0500

04/29/2010 - Amazon.com Review The insider's food guide to New York City-from trusted New York food expert and TV/radio host Michael Colameco New York is the food capital of the United States, with an incredibly rich and diverse dining scene that boasts everything from four-star French restaurants, casual neighborhood bistros, and ethnic restaurants from every corner of the world to corner bakeries, pastry shops, and much more. Now Mike Colameco, the host of PBS's popular Colameco's Food Show and WOR-Radio's "Food Talk", helps you make sense of this dizzying array of choices. He draws on his experience as a chef and New York resident to offer in-depth reviews of his favorite eating options, from high-end restaurants to cheap takeout counters and beyond. His work has given him unprecedented access to the city's chefs and kitchens, allowing him to tell you things others can't. He offers inside information about different establishments, giving a detailed and sometimes irreverent sense of the food and the people behind them. Goes beyond ratings-centered guides to offer detailed, opinionated reviews by an experienced chef and longtime New Yorker Recommends restaurants, bakers, butchers, chocolatiers, cheese stores, fishmongers, pastry shops, wine merchants, and more Entries include basic facts, contact information, and a thoughtful, personal review Includes choices in every price range and neighborhood, from Tribeca to Harlem Whether you're visiting for a weekend or have lived in New York for years, this guide is your #1 go-to source for the best food the city has to offer.

Episode Audio

49:40 minutes (23.85 MB)
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