RealClear Radio Hour: American Cuisine and Whiskey

This week on RealClear Radio Hour, Paul Freedman and Rick Wasmund treat us to delicious courses of American cuisine and whiskey.

Up first is Paul Freedman, Yale University Professor of History and author of the recently published Ten Restaurants that Changed America. Paul charts American history over the last 200 years through the nation’s cuisine. Distinct and varied, he describes the quintessential restaurants that characterize American fare, from ethnic and regional to industrial dishes. Delmonico’s defined the international standard for prestige and Antoine’s the vibrant regional fare, while Howard Johnson’s pioneered the franchise and Chez Panisse founder Alice Waters helped cultivate a more sophisticated palate.

Wrapping up the show is Rick Wasmund, CEO and Owner of Copper Fox Distillery. Rick discusses whiskey’s rich history, from its Irish and Scottish roots to its America heritage—with Johnny Appleseed's brandy, Pennsylvania rye, the Whiskey Rebellion, and the innovations he and others are contributing to the tradition today. A featured interviewee in CEI’s new short film, I, Whiskey: The Human Spirit, he describes the production process and the extensive “whiskey tribe” who makes it all possible. 

You can hear the discussion by listening to the full show as-aired on iTunes, or you can check out the podcasts hosted on YouTube and SoundCloud. Make sure to check back next week for another episode of RealClear Radio Hour.

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