11 episodes

Taste of Place is a Whetstone Radio Collective podcast hosted by Dr Anna Sulan Masing that explores colonialism, traces trade routes, meets pepper farmers, discovers spice molecules and delves into the mysteries of perfume. A narrative podcast that aims to untangle our understanding of the past and investigate our relationship with nostalgia, with the taste of pepper as the thread.

Taste of Place Whetstone Radio Collective

    • Arts
    • 4.9 • 7 Ratings

Taste of Place is a Whetstone Radio Collective podcast hosted by Dr Anna Sulan Masing that explores colonialism, traces trade routes, meets pepper farmers, discovers spice molecules and delves into the mysteries of perfume. A narrative podcast that aims to untangle our understanding of the past and investigate our relationship with nostalgia, with the taste of pepper as the thread.

    A Pepper Party

    A Pepper Party

    We end the season at a party where guests bring dishes filled with nostalgia and pepper and discuss what pepper means to them. The guests include novelist Emma Hughes, Vittles founder and editor Jonathan Nunn, chef and writer Chloe-Rose Crabtree, previous guests Jenny Lau, Pam Brunton, Tomas Heale and special guest Dr. Masing’s mother, Fiona Mowlem.
    Taste of Place is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about Taste of Place here.
    Find show notes here.
    And transcript here.

    • 42 min
    The Power of Storytelling

    The Power of Storytelling

    In this episode, Anna chats with visual artist Shiraz Bayjoo, pop-up creator Zolitha Magengelele, and anthropologist Mythri Jegathesan about the power of sharing space, how nostalgic memories often carry the scars of colonisation and how understanding those contradictions can help us better understand what we’re truly nostalgic for. This episode also sees how pepper has a different identity in different places or cuisines, and is all about the art and power of storytelling and how it connects us and can create a better world.
    Taste of Place is a part of Whetstone Radio Collective from Whetstone Media - where storytelling lives. Whetstone produces original commissioned content that centers the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas. Taste of Place is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about Taste of Place here.
    Find show notes here.
    And transcript here.

    • 31 min
    Homecoming

    Homecoming

    In this episode, Anna returns to Sarawak at the height of harvest festival to visit pepper farmers and confront her place of nostalgia. We travel through the Kapit marketplace, visit a pepper farm and laksa cafe, and take part in a ritual honoring the gods, and finally return to London for a bowl of laksa.
    Taste of Place is a part of Whetstone Radio Collective from Whetstone Media - where storytelling lives. Whetstone produces original commissioned content that centers the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas. Taste of Place is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about Taste of Place here.
    Find show notes here.
    And transcript here.

    • 34 min
    An Imagined Past

    An Imagined Past

    In this episode we travel to Scotland, where Anna joins chef and owner of Inver Restaurant, Pam Brunton, in the kitchen as she cooks classic Scottish dishes using pepper. Anna explores her own personal connection to Scotland and learns about the idea of landscape cuisine, an idea Pam coined and implements in her own approach to cooking. The two also explore the idea of imagined or created stories around place and space, in particular Scotland, that are used to sell an image rather than tell the story of the place itself, and often to great environmental detriment.
    Taste of Place is a part of Whetstone Radio Collective from Whetstone Media - where storytelling lives. Whetstone produces original commissioned content that centers the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas. Taste of Place is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about Taste of Place here.
    Find show notes here.
    And transcript here.

    • 33 min
    A Taste of Home

    A Taste of Home

    This episode is all about the flavors of home. Two friends gift Dr. Masing some Sarawak pepper when she runs out, anthropologist David Sutton explains how we build home through cooking and Diaspora Co. founder Sana Javeri Kadri tells us how she is building a spice business with equality at its heart and to bring a taste of home to diaspora. Taste of Place is a part of Whetstone Radio Collective from Whetstone Media - where storytelling lives. Whetstone produces original commissioned content that centers the perspectives of global majority populations and diasporas. Taste of Place is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about Taste of Place here.
    Find show notes here.
    And transcript here.

    • 38 min
    The Scent of Nostalgia

    The Scent of Nostalgia

    In this episode we think about the power of pepper to stir emotions. Perfumer Tanaïs explains how they make and navigate the past through scent and the possibility of re-framing identity. Psychologist Kimberley Wilson contextualizes our understanding of scent and taste, and its effect on memory and building new memories. Taste of Place is part of Whetstone Radio Collective. Learn more about Taste of Place here.
    Find show notes here.
    And transcript here.

    • 38 min

Customer Reviews

4.9 out of 5
7 Ratings

7 Ratings

HannahPhoebeB ,

A pleasure to listen to

Such a well put together podcast the episodes and storytelling each follow an arc and stand alone but I can’t wait to relisten to the full series back to back. The choice of interviewees perfectly layers the story with depth and breadth and I’ve learned a lot literally about pepper and it’s cultivation as well as broad, insightful prompts to think critically about food, trade, systems and global relations (and the people and families these comprise!)

AdrienneKK ,

Just wonderful!

Anna is a thoughtful and engaging storyteller. Interviews were interesting and packed with information! Lots to chew on and consider without feeling overwhelmed.

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