Sally Swift
Sally Swift is co-creator and Managing Producer of The Splendid Table. The radio program, podcast and website have been in the vanguard of the movement for food quality and conscientiousness for two decades.
The show has garnered multiple awards including the James Beard Award for Best National Radio Show (1998, 2008) and the Gracie Allen Award for Best Syndicated Talk Show (2000), and is a four-time recipient of The Clarion Award from Women in Communications(2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010).
Swift is co-author with Lynne Rossetto Kasper of the best-selling The Splendid Table's How To Eat Supper: Recipes, Stories and Opinions from Public Radio's Award-Winning Food Show, and its sister book, How To Eat Weekends: New Recipes, Stories and Opinions (a James Beard Award nominee). Her writing has appeared in numerous national publications.
Before launching The Splendid Table, Swift worked in film, video and television including stints as a production assistant for Prince and on Comic Relief with Billy Crystal (where Robin Williams offered advice on script editing of lasting value). She also survived a stint as a segment producer in the madness of the 1990’s daily television talk show scene, including The Jenny Jones Show and Johnny B on the Loose with Jonathon Brandmeier, for which she was actually obliged to tie a woman to the windshield of a minivan before sending her through a car wash.
After various flirtations with entertainment, Swift fell fully in love with radio when she worked on a series of television shows about A Prairie Home Companion for Disney.
She is an avid gardener, lover of design, serial house re-painter, and cyclist.
Recipes and Stories by Sally Swift
Refried Beans with Cinnamon and Clove
You’d never guess you can create such lushness from opening three cans. Cinnamon and cloves with beans make an uncommon blend, but one that turns the beans sweet and fragrant. This was Sally’s first grown-up recipe, the remains of her obligatory vegetarian phase in college. These beans are what she craves when she’s tired, what she makes when she comes home from a trip and the cupboard is bare, and when she suddenly has seven children for dinner instead of two. The beans make a sublime burrito. Dip tortilla chips or stovetop-grilled whole wheat tortillas into them, and be sure to pass hot sauce and grated cheese at the table.Whoopi Goldberg: The Unqualified Hostess
When you think about Whoopi Goldberg, you likely think of her as an actor, entertainer and television host. But what you probably don’t know about Whoopi is that she is a passionate hostess who takes the art of setting the table and entertaining very serious. Her new book, Whoopi Goldberg: The Unqualified Hostess, is full of creative tablescapes and suggestions for making people feel welcome in your home. Managing Producer Sally Swift talks with Whoopi about how to set a marvelous table and about some of her favorite tabletop collectibles and decor.The mighty miso: fermented food that packs a huge umami punch
Here at The Splendid Table we enjoy taking a deeper look at the ingredients that change the way we cook. One ingredient that has been fascinating to us recently is miso, the fermented bean paste that packs a major umami punch. A lot of us think of miso as an ingredient that makes a soup base, but it’s so much more interesting and complex than that. Did you know you could pickle with it?! Kristen Shockey teaches the art of fermentation and, along with her husband, Christopher, has co-authored a number of books on the subject including Miso, Tempeh, Natto and Other Tasty Ferments. Kirsten talked with our Managing Producer Sally Swift about the huge flavor impact miso can have on a variety of dishes; she also shared these insightful step-by-step instructions for making miso at home.Nicole Rucker shares delicious ways to use an abundance of summer fruit
Homemade ice cream sandwiches are a cool summer treat
Making a homemade ice cream sandwich sounds easy, right? What could be so difficult about putting a scoop of ice cream between two cookies and smashing them into the form of a sandwich? Turns out there's a lot of small things to consider in order to get the perfect firmness of ice cream with the toothsome texture of cookie (read: not rock solid). Luckily for us, Cook's Illustrated Senior Editor Lan Lam spent a lot of time in the test kitchen at America's Test Kitchen perfecting a cookie recipe that lays the foundation for the most wonderful homemade ice cream sandwich. She gave the scoop to our Managing Producer Sally Swift and shared the recipe for Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches. Listen to their conversation using the audio player above and read Lan Lam's full Cook's Illustrated article here. All photos: America's Test KitchenMadhur Jaffrey opened the floodgates for Indian food in America
Food writer Priya Krishna, author of Indian-ish, reflects on the influence and inspiration provided by Madhur Jaffrey on younger Indian food writers.Going green with reusable wraps, storage bags and other kitchen tools
In our episode One Cook's Trash... we talked a lot about food wasted at home. The other thing that a lot of cooks think about is how much plastic we trash in our kitchens. Managing Producer Sally Swift went to Lisa McManus, America’s Test Kitchen’s director of product testing, to see how to replace plastic wrap and baggies with reusables. Listen to their conversation with the audio player above. Lisa also gave us lists of and more information about America's Test Kitchen's recommended reusable kitchen tools. Find them below.Kids in the kitchen: fun cooking projects bring family together
Do you remember how old you were when you first showed interest in food or cooking? Do you have fond memories of spending time in the kitchen with parents, grandparents and other family members? According to the KidsHealth website, cooking helps kids learn basic math concepts, build language skills, boost confidence, explore their senses, and encourage an adventurous palate. The folks at America’s Test Kitchen are also big fans of getting kids into the kitchen. Molly Birnbaum is editor of America’s Test Kitchen Kids. She talked with our Managing Producer Sally Swift about how to make cooking with little kids fun and delicious. Molly also gave us the kid-friendly recipes for Hand-Squished Tomato Sauce and Rice Noodle Bowls with Pork and Scallions.Try this at home: nitro cold-brew coffee, cooking with koji
Our friends at America's Test Kitchen are always looking for new ways to introduce fun and innovative techniques into our home kitchens. Dan Souza, Editor in Chief of Cook’s Illustrated, often leads their charge into culinary curiosity. Here, he talks with our Managing Producer Sally Sally about making nitro cold-brew coffee, and cooking with koji. Dan shared recipes for Nitro Cold-Brew Coffee, Shio Koji, and Koji Fried Chicken for your home cooking experimentation.A springtime menu by Clodagh McKenna
Here is a beautiful three-course menu for a springtime evening or Easter supper from Clodagh’s Suppers: Suppers to Celebrate the Seasons by Ireland’s charming chef, Clodagh McKenna.
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