The Messy Epicure

Jason Horn

Taking on everything messy—morally, ethically, politically—in food and drink.

Episodes

  1. 2020-07-31

    Episode 4: Amethyst Ganaway on the Baggage of "Southern" Food

    Born and raised in North Charleston, S.C., Amethyst Ganaway has been working as a chef for more than 10 years, and she’s recently started sharing her knowledge as a food writer as well. On this episode, Amethyst and I talk about who decides what’s “Southern,” a recent shake-up in the influential Southern Foodways Alliance organization and her experiences as one of comparatively few Black women working in restaurant kitchens. LINKS Amethyst’s website: https://www.geecheegordita.com/ Follow Amethyst @ExcuseMyFly on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ExcuseMyFly Oxford Food Symposium: https://www.oxfordsymposium.org.uk/ The New York Times’ Southern Foodways Alliance story: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/29/dining/john-t-edge-southern-foodways-alliance.html?searchResultPosition=1 Who Owns Southern Food? by Tunde Wey & John T. Edge: https://www.oxfordamerican.org/magazine/item/870-who-owns-southern-food Dr. Cynthia Greenlee: https://www.cynthiagreenlee.com/ Gullah Gourmet: https://www.gullahgourmet.com/ Geechie Boy grits: https://geechieboymill.com/ Amethyst’s latest story, for Food & Wine: https://www.foodandwine.com/news/black-communities-food-as-protest Chef Mashama Bailey’s foie gras and grits come from her restaurant The Grey in Savannah, Ga.: https://thegreyrestaurant.com/ Theme music: Upbeat Forever by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5011-upbeat-forever License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    57 min
  2. 2020-07-11

    Episode 3: Billy Ray on Being a Bartender with a Drinking Problem

    Billy Ray got his start in bartending more than 20 years ago and has been one of the people at the forefront of the cocktail revival of the last couple decades. He started his own canned-cocktail-mixer company. He's helped create top cocktail programs in Los Angeles and around the country. He's also an alcoholic who's been sober for the last three and a half years. On this episode, Billy opens up with the story of his personal journey to sobriety, as well as how quitting drinking has actually made him a better bartender. CW: This episode includes frank discussion of drug use, alcoholism and suicide. LINKS: Billy Ray's mixer company, Mixwell: https://www.pleasemixwell.com/ Julian Cox, Los Angeles cocktail mentor: http://thirstyinla.com/2016/02/04/last-call-for-julian-cox-in-los-angeles/ Blind Barber, a speakeasy behind a barber shop in Culver City, Calif.: https://blindbarber.com/pages/los-angeles Alcohol-free "spirit" Seedlip: https://seedlipdrinks.com/ Melrose Umbrella Co.: http://www.melroseumbrellacompany.com/ Yamashiro: https://yamashirohollywood.com/ Mental health resources for bartenders and other hospitality folks: https://healthyhospo.com/ Alcoholics Anonymous: https://www.aa.org/ If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call 800-273-8255 or visit https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/ Theme music: Upbeat Forever by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/5011-upbeat-forever License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

    54 min

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Taking on everything messy—morally, ethically, politically—in food and drink.