PODCAST · arts
Cooking The Books
by Vanessa Baca
A podcast about food in literature, the inspiration behind the stories, and how the recipes come to life in my kitchen!
Episodes
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Dracula and the Bloody Satisfaction of Chicken Paprikash
Being the former Goth girl that I am, of course there is no monster I love more than that big, bad granddad of vampires, Dracula! We have a return guest in Allie Pino, whose upcoming Gothic Cookbook takes a bloody delicious bite out of Stoker's literary masterpiece, and we talk about the Gothic…
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The Great Gatsby and the Jazzy Joys of Mint Juleps
Please note: We experienced some technical difficulties while recording so I apologize for the audio quality in places where it fades out. Happy end of April, Constant Listeners! It's National Jazz Appreciation Month, and I thought I'd focus on one of the Jazz Age books that I love most in the...
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The Chef's Secret and the Renaissance-ish Delights of Veal Meatballs with Pinenuts
It's the marvelous month of March, and this month's episode features a wonderful book set in Renaissance Italy that is filled to the joyous brim with luscious food descriptions, a forbidden love, and a secret that brings to mind The DaVinci Code. I am also interviewing the book's author, the...
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The Farolitos of Christmas and the Seasonal Happiness of Biscochitos
A belated holiday-themed episode awaits you today! We are discussing the ultimate New Mexico Christmas food - the biscochito, and I interview the talented Eric Martinez of Los Foodies, which is an amazing food magazine and marketing group here in our home state. Eric and I talk about the…
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Shakespeare's Hamlet and the Dysfunctional Joy of Chicken Pies in Coffins (or The Funeral Baked Meats)
To be or not to be, that is the question, and one of many questions and quandaries we'll be discussing in today's episode, focusing on my favorite of all William Shakespeare's plays, The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. My special guest, author and marvelous cook Giovanni Franceschini, joins...
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Rebecca and the Gothic Pleasure of Ravioli in Tomato-Chicken-Cream Sauce
We're entering the holy season of Halloween, and what better way to kick off this eerie time of the year with a discussion of one of literature's great Gothic novels and its melodramatic themes of love, grief, obsession, and of course food! I also get to interview the wonderful Alessandra Pino…
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The Godfather and the Vengeful Bliss of Veal Saltimbocca
We're taking on Mario Puzo's operatic masterpiece The Godfather today, talking about the merits of both the book and the classic film trilogy, with Dr. Eddie Tafoya, English professor and self-professed expert on this topic, and I will share a mouth-wateringly delicious veal recipe, so enjoy!...
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Pet Sematary and the Deathly Deliciousness of Meatloaf Sandwiches
We're talking Stephen King again today with one of his darkest, most devastating and terrifying books of all, discussing how grief and not accepting death can bring about true horror, and I share my method for making one of the most homey and comforting dishes of all - and God knows we need some...
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Portnoy's Complaint and the Onanistic Pleasures of Cream-Filled Apple & Banana Cake
Today's episode takes on one of the horniest and neurotic young men in modern literature, his obsession with self-pleasure, and a delicious cream-filled dessert, so enjoy! Special thanks to Dr. Eddie Tafoya, Professor of English Literature, whose ability to narrate a certain passage from this…
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The Pit and the Pendulum and the Horrifying Thrill of Pork Medallions in Amontillado Sauce
The man who was my first literary boyfriend, Edgar Allan Poe himself, and one of his masterpiece works, are the subject of today's podcast, as I expound on the dark genius of the man, his opium-like literary style, and describe a culinary dish worthy of the Spanish Inquisition. And special thanks...
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The Shining and the Truly Terrifying Pleasure of Tomato-Basil Bisque
We're taking on the King of horror literature today, my main man Stephen King, and the book that is arguably one of his masterpieces, discussing the literary merits of the book vs. the notorious Stanley Kubrick film, and making some good old comfort food in today's episode, so enjoy! If you like…
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Pablo Neruda's Ode to Tomatoes and the Sensual Pleasures of Tuna-Stuffed Tomatoes
This episode features the poetry of my very favorite poet in the entire world, the late, great Pablo Neruda, and his culinary and sensual take on food in poetry, particularly the seemingly humble tomato, as well as my interpretation of it, and some meanderings on the nature of food and sexuality,...
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The Haunting of Hill House and the Spooky Joy of Chicken with Plums and Radishes
A bit late for Halloween, nonetheless we're talking one of the greatest novels in horror literature and how its ambiguity makes it that much more terrifying, and a delicious and unexpected dish of chicken with plums and radishes, so please join us! Like what you hear? Check out my food blog at:...
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The Exorcist and the Demonic Pleasures of Split Pea Soup
It 's the high holy season for those of us drawn to the darker side of life, and in honor of Halloween, I'm talking about a favorite book of mine that spawned one of the most shocking and horrifying films ever made, and tying it in with a delicious potful of soup that is just perfect for this...
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Bless Me, Última and the Spiritual Bliss of Blue Corn Cakes
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, and to memorialize a wonderful author who was also a dear friend and mentor, I'm discussing the pivotal book Bless Me, Última by the late, great Chicano author Rudolfo Anaya and sharing my method for making a savory New Mexico treat that incorporates our...
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The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires and the Bloody Thrill of Cheese Straws
We're talking some Southern-fried vampirism today, along with a tasty appetizer that no self-respecting Southern housewife would be caught dead without, so check it out and leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts! If you like this podcast, you'll love my blog so take a gander over at:...
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The Silence of the Lambs and the Cannibalistic Joy of Chicken Liver and Fava Bean Crostini
Join me as we talk cannibalism, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, and I share my method for making a tasty chicken-liver and fava bean crostini! Check out my blog at: www.foodinbooks.com Like me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/foodinbooks Follow me on Instagram at: www.instagram.com/foodinbooks
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Kitchen Confidential and the F*cking Brilliance of Yellowfin Tuna
We're honoring the foul-mouthed legacy and cooking genius of my idol, Anthony Bourdain, talking about his seminal work Kitchen Confidential, and I'm trying my hand at one of his more fanciful food references in that book, so listen and enjoy! Check out my blog at: www.foodinbooks.com Like me on...
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The Name of the Rose and the Ungodly Goodness of Fried Cheese in Batter
We're going back to 14th century Italy with a medieval monk and his Watson-like sidekick to an abbey where murder, mayhem and a massive library take center stage, and frying up some tasty cheesy goodness in the latest episode of Cooking the Books, so give us a listen! Check out my blog at:...
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Dune and the Otherwordly Joys of Cooking Rabbit
Today's episode talks about the unearthly joys of science-fiction, including my favorite sci-fi book of all time, and a delicious and unusual dish featuring - you guessed it - rabbit! Like me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/foodinbooks Follow me on Instagram at: instagram.com/foodinbooks Check…
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Like Water for Chocolate and the Magic of Chiles en Nogada (Stuffed Poblano Peppers)
This week, we are talking magical realism and food, discussing one of my favorite foodie books of all time and how it presents food as both magical and as a reflection of emotions and feelings, and I'll share my method for making a classic Mexican dish! Visit my blog at: www.foodinbooks.com Like…
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Fairy Tale Food and the Comfort of Cooking Risotto
In this week's episode, I talk about the magical and transformative qualities of food in fairy tales, discuss one recent retelling of my favorite fairy tale of all time, and share my method for making squid-ink risotto. Like me on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/foodinbooks Follow me on Instagram…
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La Cucina and the Art of Homemade Ragú Sauce
The culinary delights of Southern Italy are richly described in the wonderful book "La Cucina" by Lily Prior and I discuss the comforts of making homemade ragú sauce during COVID-19 social distancing.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Cooking The Books have?
Cooking The Books currently has 23 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Cooking The Books about?
A podcast about food in literature, the inspiration behind the stories, and how the recipes come to life in my kitchen!
How often does Cooking The Books release new episodes?
Cooking The Books has 23 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Cooking The Books?
You can listen to Cooking The Books on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Cooking The Books?
Cooking The Books is created and hosted by Vanessa Baca.
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