Botany of Desire

The Splendid Table: Conversations & Recipes For Curious Cooks & Eaters

American Public Media

Arts, Food

4.3 • 3K Ratings

🗓️ 18 May 2002

⏱️ 60 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

This week it's an unusual take on botany and the issue of control—plants vs. humans—with our guest, journalist and gardener Michael Pollan. In his new book, The Botany of Desire, Michael claims that plants manipulate us by taking advantage of our basic desires. (Starts at 20:41.)

Jane and Michael Stern have found old-world Czech food in Omaha. Travel writer Anya Von Bremzen reports on exotica from one of the ancient food centers of the Middle East. Herb genius and chef Jerry Traunfeld talks sorrel and gives us the perfect recipe for a spring brunch: Smoked Salmon Benedict with Sorrel Sauce. Gourmet magazine editor Ruth Reichl reads from her memoir, Comfort Me With Apples, and Lynne shares her recipe for Roasted Asparagus Potato Salad.

Broadcast dates for this episode:

May 19, 2001 (originally aired)
May 18, 2002 (rebroadcast)

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0	Our common nature is a musical journey with Yo-Yo Ma and me, Ana Gonzalez, through this complicated country.
0:08.1	We go into caves, onto boats, and up mountain trails to meet people, hear their stories, their poetry, and of course, play some music, all to reconnect to nature and get closer to the things we're missing.
0:24.4	Listen to Our Common Nature from WNYC, wherever you get podcasts.
0:31.3	It's Lynn Rosetta-Castro with the Splendid Table.
0:42.4	Music Splendid table. Today we deal with control issues, not between all of us, but between plants and us.
0:48.5	Our guest is journalist and gardener Michael Pollan.
0:52.4	He thinks plants cash in on our basic desires and manipulate us to work for them.
0:58.7	His book is called the botany of desire, a plant's eye view of the world. The Stearns have found great old-time Czech food in Omaha.
1:07.4	Anya von Bremsen from Travel and Leisure magazine reports on Aleppo, one of the ancient power centers of the Middle East.
1:13.6	Then it's the Secrets of Sorrel with Chef Jerry Trounfeld and Gourmet Magazine editor Ruth Reichel joins us with a tale of indulgence and seduction.
1:22.6	All this and your calls coming up on the splendid table.
1:26.6	But first this. All this and your calls coming up on the splendid table.
1:28.4	But first this.
1:37.5	It's Lynne Rosetta Casper with Kitchen Chronicles,
1:40.4	where knowledge is power and cooking is pleasure,
1:44.4	a practical guide to nourishing ourselves and the people we care about.
1:48.2	Today, let's talk about making pie.
1:53.8	Most of us don't make pie very much, but when fruit is in its prime or when you're just dying for a good piece of pie, you should try one.
1:57.3	Pies aren't as intimidating as they may seem.
2:00.7	Pies are logical, once you know the basics.
2:03.7	This is part one of making pie.
2:06.9	Today I've got tips for great pie crust.
	...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Previous episode | Next episode

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from American Public Media, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of American Public Media and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.