Jessica Soffer explores the connections between food, writing, culture in her first novel, Tomorrow There Will Be Apricots. Jessica joins Cathy Erway for this week's Eat Your Words to talk about her Iraqi Jew heritage, and how the food culture of her people is underrepresented in New York City, and the world. Learn more about the novel, and the trend of books that includes evocative plots involving food and heritage. Have you ever had masgouf? Learn about the traditional Iraqi dish that includes butterflying and grilling a white fish vertically. What other novelists does Jessica admire? Find out all of this and more on this week's installment of Eat Your Words! This program has been sponsored by Fairway Market. Thanks to The California Honeydrops for today's music.

"I think there's an explicit connection: getting affirmation from cooking and writing." [6:30]

"Masgouf is the national dish of Iraq, which is interesting because it's so different from what it once was." [17:50]

-- Jessica Soffer on Eat Your Words

Fermented saliva, quail eggs, jello wrestling, vermouth cocktails, kombucha, pressure cooking, fermented milk and bad accents are all a part of this week's episode of Cooking Issues. Tune in as Dave Arnold does his usual routine of answering more questions than you can keep up with in under 60 minutes. No question is off limits, and Dave is on top of his game this week. Have a question for the show? Call us at 718-497-2128 every Tuesday at 12pm or email info@HeritageRadioNetwork.org. Regulars and newbies alike - tune in to this show for a classic example of what the Cooking Issues team can do for you. This program was sponsored by Hearst Ranch.

This week on A Taste of the Past, host Linda Pelaccio is joined by celebrity pastry chef to the stars Eric Lanlard who has recently published several recipe books for baking at home. He discusses the origins of baking and the history of prominent bakers who worked under harsh conditions and the comparison to baking today. Hear chef Lanlard talk about early recipe creation and baking for the Queen of England and her passion for food. He discusses the history of Antonin Careme's baking for royal courts as well as his own cooking for celebrities. His most recent book is a selection of recipes for home baking called "Tart It Up!" This program was sponsored by Whole Foods Market.

"I wanted to put [savory baking] back in fashion." [2:01]

"I know what it's like to put something on the table and get the wow factor." [2:03]

"I like giving more tips, I like getting more flavors." [2:04]

"Baking is like chemistry." [2:05]

"I want to make [baking] accessible." [2:05]

-- Eric Lanlard, Pastry Chef on A Taste of the Past