Episode 181: Bread with Lionel Vatinet

09/11/14 • 31 min

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio kicks off the new radio season welcoming Lionel Vatinet, master baker of La Farm Bakery in Cary, North Carolina and author of the book A Passion for Bread: Lessons from a Master Baker. Lionel shares with Linda that his passion for bread was first nurtured when he joined France’s prestigious artisans’ guild Les Compagnons du Devoir as an apprentice at age 16. Emerging 7 years later with the distinguished and hard-earned title of Maitre Boulanger (Master Baker), Vatinet pledged to devote his life to teaching, sharing and preserving the ancient art and science of bread baking. Rather than propagate secrets, Lionel’s mission through the years has been to demystify baking and enable more bakers to produce high quality, handcrafted breads. This mission can without a doubt be seen demonstrated throughout his book’s recipes as well. Tune in for a master lesson in bread and to hear what Lionel’s plans are for the future! This program has been brought to you by Cain Vineyard and Winery.

“To be a teacher, to share, I think every culinarian should share what they know. You cannot feel like you have a secret.” [20:19]

—Lionel Vatinet on A Taste of the Past

“To be a teacher, to share, I think every culinarian should share what they know. You cannot feel like you have a secret.” [20:19]

—Lionel Vatinet on A Taste of the Past

Previous Episode

Episode 180: The Food History Reader

It’s that time of year again – students are headed back to school! Linda Pelaccio gets in the spirit on a academic themed episode of A Taste of the Past with guest Ken Albala, Professor of History at the University of the Pacific, USA. He is the author or editor of 17 books including Eating Right in the Renaissance, The Banquet and Beans: A History. He has also coauthored two cookbooks, The Lost Art of Real Cooking and The Lost Arts of Hearth and Home. With the proliferation of food history courses and avid interest among scholars and the general public, the need for a solid comprehensive collection of key primary texts about food of the past is urgent. His latest book, The Food History Reader, is that collection. Tune in as he urges researchers to focus on primary sources and gives listeners some insights into the world of food history. This program was brought to you by Fairway Market.

“I think we need fewer encyclopedias and more original research and it won’t happen unless a generation of students is raised on the original sources and not the rehashes of information.” [12:00]

“People eat certain things as expressions of who they are and who they want to be.” [16:00]

–Ken Albala on A Taste of the Past

Next Episode

Episode 182: History of the Potato Chip

What is it about salty snacks? What is it, in particular, about the potato chip? Learn about the history of the iconic snack with Dirk Burhans, author of Crunch!: A History of the Great American Potato Chip. Dirk traces the history of the chip back to its origins and gives listeners some great fun-facts and cultural anecdotes. Potato Chip lovers unite! This program was brought to you by Fairway Market.

“The idea of making a super thin fried potato and putting it in oil is nothing we can’t do on our own.” [04:00]

–Dirk Burhans on A Taste of the Past