Our common nature is a musical journey with Yo-Yo Ma and me, Ana Gonzalez, through this

complicated country.

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.

Listen to Our Common Nature from WNYC, wherever you get podcasts.

I'm Frances Lamb, and this is The Splendid Table from APM American Public Media, the show for curious cooks and eaters.

Here's a fact that I honestly have to say out loud over and over again because I really kind of have trouble

believing it's real. But Americans waste 40% of all the food we produce. It's true. That

figure comes from actual research. And before we go and blame our famously broken food system

for all that waste, the fact is that people throwing out food at home

is a huge contributor to that.

So I think we need to think about how to lighten that load, because food waste is obviously

money waste, but it's also a strain on the environment to produce that food in the first

place and a strain to deal with all that rotting food afterwards.

A lot of people are trying to tackle this issue by turning to chefs.

And it makes sense, right?

They're always cutting waste because it's basically the only way to make a profit running a restaurant.

And they're experts at making things delicious.

But chefs also often come up with ideas that require a team of prep cooks,

or, you know, they end up making those kale stems into a great finishing sprinkle

for the sweetbreads and their tasting menu, but not, you know, something for dinner at home on Tuesday.

So let me introduce you to Abra Barron's.

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