Carrie Helms Tippen sees the stories in cookbooks. Her interest in the cookbooks of the American south is very broad and very deep. Her latest book is Unpalatable: Stories of Pain and Pleasure in Southern Cookbooks. We talk about

finding the meaning in recipes and headnotes. This follows on the heels of her book, Inventing Authenticity: How Cookbook Writers Redefine Southern Identity, which is also about cookbooks.

Listen it’s on Tip of the Tongue.

Instagram: @carriehelmsphd

This is an encore presentation of this podcast. In yesterday’s ComplEAT Kitchen I wrote about my meal at Pasta Night, Renato’s restaurant in Brooklyn. I thought that listening to this podcast again, where he speaks about his new restaurant, would be fun.

If you eat breakfast in Brooklyn you have probably eaten at Ciao, Gloria. Italian baking and lots more. Renato Poliafito’s 5th book, Dolci! American Baking with an Italian Accent is out and it makes you want to bake and eat everything. We talk to Renato about baking, Italian food, and so much more. Listen, it’s on Tip of the Tongue.

Discussion about this episode

There are fusion restaurants everywhere. Sometimes they are contrived, and frankly the fusion doesn’t happen. Usually they work best when the people involved have a foot in the food culture of the place where the restaurant is and in the culture of the source of fusion. There are no rules. But you know when it is successful, just as you might recognize something that isn’t.

Koi Asian Fusion works. We speak with General Manager, Eric Li, about the work and thought that went into the restaurant - work regarding the look and feel of the place, the food and its connection to real people who know the food, and the work at restaurant principles, like fresh seafood and wonderful ingredients and methods. And yes, even the cocktails are thoughtfully crafted.

Listen. It’s on Tip of the Tongue.

Next time you are in Shreveport, Louisiana, this is a must stop. When you are up to your eyeballs in Cajun, Creole, and north Louisiana food that people claim is authentic, and you want something else that is really delicious, pop into Koi Asian Fusion for a palate cleansing. It will make your taste buds zing.