Hungry for History with Eva Longoria and Maite Gomez-Rejón

Ahead of Eva's show, Searching for Spain, we rewind to season one when Maite visited Eva in Spain to discuss the history of wine in Mexico! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Whether forced or by choice, our dishes and culinary traditions are constantly being adapted due to migration. This week, Eva and Maite discuss the Sephardic Jewish roots in some of their favorite Mexican dishes, including cabrito (roasted kid goat) and albondigas (meatballs). They welcome medieval scholar, chef and author of Matzah and Flour: Recipes from the History of the Sephardic Jews, Hélène Jawhara Piñer, to the show to talk about one of their favorite topics, tortillas! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Who popped corn first? What early recipes used popcorn as an ingredient? Who invented the popcorn machine? Who brought popcorn to the movies? From garlands worn by young Aztec girls to honor of the rain god, Tlaloc, to a beloved movie treat around the world, Eva and Maite get into the rich history of our favorite snack… popcorn! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With spring coming, honeybees are busy foraging nectar and pollen from blooming flowers. From ancient foraging to the modern day farmer’s market - E+M celebrate the rich symbolism of bees and the magical honey-making process in this special episode. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Eva and Maite continue their exploration of the South Texas lands they grew up in. They share stories of hunting and digging for arrowheads and welcome chef and Texas food historian Adán Medrano to the show. Together they reflect on how the land can tell stories about the daily lives of the people who have lived on it, the animals that have inhabited it, and the changes it has undergone over time. https://adanmedrano.com/cookbook-author-adan-medrano/ https://texasindigenousfood.org https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Social-Conquest-of-Earth/ See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eva and Maite start the episode talking about the complexity of moles and how this ubiquitous Mexican dish melds together flavors, textures, cooking techniques, and spices (!) from around the world. They then delve into the rich and spicy history of spices, which were once so desired by wealthy Europeans they kicked off the Age of Exploration. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Food preservation has been around for centuries and canned foods are an essential part of our modern-day pantries. From Nicholas Appert in France to John Mason in the U.S. and Don Clemente Jacques in Mexico, in this episode Eva and Maite talk about some of the key characters in the history of canning and pickling. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

With the rising cost of eggs, Eva and Maite decided to dive into the history of one of the most versatile kitchen staples. Who ate eggs first? When did the chicken become domesticated? Why are eggs sold by the dozen? Why are some eggs blue? Learn that and more! See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode Eva and Maite talk Guatemalan comfort foods with Guatemala born and raised actor and host of the new podcast, Greatest Escapes, Arturo Castro. They talk about the rich history of the region and uncover how some staple ingredients - like bananas and coffee - have been tied to political instability and conflict. Maite visits the Guatemalan Night Market in Los Angeles with food writer Bill Esparza. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the wake of the LA Wildfires, Eva and Maite welcome Antonio Diaz, an Emmy-award winning and James Beard Award-nominated filmmaker and founder of of Life & Thyme to the show. They discuss the restaurant as the soul of a community, how the LA restaurant industry has come together to help those in need, the precarious nature of the restaurant business, and what we can do to help. Life & Thyme: https://lifeandthyme.com + IG: https://www.instagram.com/lifeandthyme Antonio’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/liberateantonio/ Independent Restaurant Coalition: https://www.independentrestaurantcoalition.com Feed the Streets: https://www.feedthestreets.info Hollywood Food Coalition: https://hofoco.org National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON): https://ndlon.org Pasadena Community Job Center: http://pasadenajobcenter.com See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Black Seminoles were led to freedom in Northern Mexico where they settled in El Nacimiento in the 1800s. Their Mexican descendants, the Mascogos, have a transnational history that spans borders. Eva and Maite explore this rich history, the cookbook Recetario Mascogo de Coahuila, and Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the U.S. since 2021 that has been celebrated in El Nacimiento since 1865. They welcome Dr. Maria Hammack, a scholar and historian whose work bridges histories of liberation and abolition, and Windy Goodloe and Corina Torralba of the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association to the show. https://www.seminolecemeteryassociation.comhttps://mariaestherhammack.mehttps://contigoenladistancia.cultura.gob.mx/detalle/recetario-mascogo-de-coahuila See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the years before the Civil War, many enslaved people found freedom in Mexico, where slavery was abolished 36 years before the Emancipation Proclamation. In the first of a two-part series on Freedom Fighters, Eva and Maite explore the Southern route of the Underground Railroad and meet Silvia Webber, often referred to as the Harriet Tubman of Texas. They welcome Dr. Maria Hammack, a scholar and historian whose work bridges histories of liberation and abolition, Sofia Bravo and OJ and Leslie Treviño of the Webber Family Preservation Project to the show. http://wfpptx.org/projects.html#/https://mariaestherhammack.mehttps://digital.sfasu.edu/digital/collection/RSPSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

When people plant their flag in a new country, they do it first though food. In this episode, Eva and Maite talk about the often painful history of Chinese migration to the United States and Mexico and celebrate the rich Chinese contribution to both country’s food-ways. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eva and Maite take a dive into the history of raw fish consumption from ancient Peru and Japan and its possible introductions to Mexico. They explore how ceviche developed into the dish we love today thanks to Japanese immigration to Peru which led to the development of the country’s Nikkei cuisine. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

From Birria Ramen to Esquites, Eva and Maite kick off 2025 exploring the fusion of cultures that can be found when enjoying street food that you can eat in a cup! Plus - Los Angeles based food writer, Bill Esparza, joins the show to discuss how food can build community especially for immigrants planting their flag in a new country. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to Hungry for History from the beginning! Enjoy this rewind episode from Season One. Eva and Maite take a trip down memory lane as they explore the unique past of Tex-Mex food. From the unknown history of the San Antonio Chili Queens to the difference between Tejano and Chicano, the ladies dive into the rich cuisine that is Tex-Mex. Maite's Chili Queen-Style Chile con Carne See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to Hungry for History from the beginning! Enjoy this rewind episode from Season One. Eva and Maite travel to Papantla, Mexico - home of vanilla. Founded by the Totonacs, vanilla's first cultivators, the city of Papantla is the perfect place to explore the history of this edible orchid native to Mexico. Plus, Maite attends a Voladores de Papantla rain ceremony and Eva pollinates a vanilla bean at a farm called, Gaya Vanilla. Vanilla Chicken Recipe Ingredients: Instructions: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Eva and Maite ring in the new year by popping open a bottle of sparkling and diving into the history of Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava! Happy New Year, ya’ll. See ya in 2025. - Eva and Maite See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Listen to Hungry for History from the beginning! Enjoy this rewind episode from Season One. ____________________________________________________________________ Eva and Maite kick off the series with the tortilla, a staple in Mexican cuisine and the source of a centuries-long conundrum... corn or wheat? The women taste test Eva’s homemade flour tortillas and try some from Sonoratown, a casual destination for Northern Mexican-style tacos in Los Angeles. Maite visits Acapulco Mexicatessen in East LA to experience the nixtamalization process. Plus, Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, shares his thoughts on the corn vs flour debate. Check out Jorge Gaviria’s new book! MASA – Techniques, Recipes and Reflections on a Timeless Staple Learn more about Sonoratown here. Find out all about Acapulco Mexicatessen here. Eva’s Flour Tortillas aka HEB - Mother's Flour Tortillas Ingredients: Instructions: See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In the spirit of the holiday season, Eva and Maite dive into the origins of buñuelos! You’ll also discover where the Christmas tree tradition came from and delve into the history of funnel cakes, churros and the Hanukkah jelly donut. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.