1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,120 Speaker 1: You are listening to Ruthie's Table four in partnership with 2 00:00:03,160 --> 00:00:05,640 Speaker 1: Montclair thinking about. 3 00:00:05,480 --> 00:00:08,520 Speaker 2: Laura Dern coming here to day. I found myself scrolling 4 00:00:08,640 --> 00:00:11,720 Speaker 2: through three years of text messages. It's kind of a 5 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 2: story about making plans to meet our excitement at the 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,960 Speaker 2: thought of seeing each other in La or London, choosing 7 00:00:18,040 --> 00:00:21,439 Speaker 2: restaurants to go to, and even sending photographs of a 8 00:00:21,480 --> 00:00:25,680 Speaker 2: fundraiser I gave for Nancy Pelosi. As usual, most of 9 00:00:25,800 --> 00:00:31,920 Speaker 2: ideas were aspirational, adapting around our close families, movies, cooking, travel. 10 00:00:32,600 --> 00:00:36,160 Speaker 2: Laura is loved by me and many others. She's fond, 11 00:00:36,200 --> 00:00:39,760 Speaker 2: she's curious, she's smart, she hangs with a crew on set, 12 00:00:40,240 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 2: passionate about her children, Jaya and Ellery. She has strong 13 00:00:43,920 --> 00:00:47,680 Speaker 2: memories of her grandmother and describes her parents as heroes. 14 00:00:48,440 --> 00:00:51,760 Speaker 2: Laura fights for human rights, social values. It is a 15 00:00:51,800 --> 00:00:55,279 Speaker 2: bold and brave spokesperson for women in the film industry. 16 00:00:55,880 --> 00:00:59,520 Speaker 2: Directors and writers consider her first when making a movie. 17 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,280 Speaker 2: Renzo Piano, the architect for the Academy Museum of Motion 18 00:01:03,480 --> 00:01:07,240 Speaker 2: Pictures in La remembers that as a trustee, she was 19 00:01:07,280 --> 00:01:10,720 Speaker 2: a rigorous and remarkable client. He asked me to give 20 00:01:10,760 --> 00:01:13,920 Speaker 2: her a hug. Laura Dern loves to eat, and she 21 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:17,480 Speaker 2: cares about food and the politics of feeding people safely 22 00:01:17,880 --> 00:01:21,480 Speaker 2: and sustainably. Today we're here in the River Cafe to 23 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:24,400 Speaker 2: talk about all this and more. And after I give 24 00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,120 Speaker 2: her the hug from Lorenzo and another one for me, 25 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:33,399 Speaker 2: that's what we're going to do. So tell me about 26 00:01:33,480 --> 00:01:34,759 Speaker 2: your cooking with Sean. 27 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:38,559 Speaker 3: First of all, just being in the kitchen here was incredible, 28 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 3: and I was thinking about tracking my memories over the 29 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:48,680 Speaker 3: last probably seven years of making movies here in London, 30 00:01:49,560 --> 00:01:54,400 Speaker 3: My memories with my collaborators, my great memories are here 31 00:01:54,440 --> 00:01:55,440 Speaker 3: at the River Cafe. 32 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:58,240 Speaker 1: This is where we plot. 33 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,680 Speaker 3: And create an vent and over the course of a 34 00:02:02,760 --> 00:02:06,080 Speaker 3: meal that's always remembered. So then I was on set 35 00:02:06,160 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 3: with Noah bound back this week, and we'd had dinner 36 00:02:09,200 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 3: here together, the two of us, talking about what it's 37 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:14,919 Speaker 3: feeling like and how it feels different for him than 38 00:02:14,960 --> 00:02:20,440 Speaker 3: the last movies in his life. And as we're describing it, 39 00:02:20,720 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 3: we're describing like, my God, wasn't that wine incredible? Can 40 00:02:25,639 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 3: you believe that salad was? 41 00:02:27,480 --> 00:02:29,799 Speaker 1: What was the art of show? How did she make 42 00:02:29,840 --> 00:02:30,640 Speaker 1: that art to show? 43 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:35,520 Speaker 3: And we're just you know, it becomes this organic part 44 00:02:35,720 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 3: of memory, food and art, and you've created this sustainable, 45 00:02:42,240 --> 00:02:47,880 Speaker 3: inventive place for art and artists that is forever seeped 46 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:49,680 Speaker 3: in my memory so already. 47 00:02:49,760 --> 00:02:51,480 Speaker 1: It's such a gift and it means so much. 48 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,120 Speaker 3: And now our friendship which is growing and evolving, and 49 00:02:55,160 --> 00:03:00,160 Speaker 3: we're getting finally getting time together, but also being in 50 00:03:00,160 --> 00:03:04,600 Speaker 3: the kitchen and watching a great chef's kitchen and it 51 00:03:04,720 --> 00:03:10,160 Speaker 3: feels rigorous and stressful. I walk away from it saying, 52 00:03:10,280 --> 00:03:13,799 Speaker 3: that's such a terrifying space, and there's something even. 53 00:03:13,639 --> 00:03:14,520 Speaker 1: Cold about it. 54 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,720 Speaker 3: And the minute you walk in, first of all, the 55 00:03:17,760 --> 00:03:22,400 Speaker 3: warmth of the kitchen as part of the room, that 56 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:27,280 Speaker 3: the chef is not separate from the client, that we're 57 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:31,120 Speaker 3: all eating and creating and inventing this day together. That's 58 00:03:31,160 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 3: what's so beautiful about the space you've created. And then 59 00:03:33,919 --> 00:03:37,600 Speaker 3: Sean's energy is so beautiful, and that she wants to 60 00:03:37,920 --> 00:03:41,600 Speaker 3: teach as much as she loves to cook is so amazing. 61 00:03:42,160 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 3: And my son we were sharing ellery has really, through 62 00:03:48,600 --> 00:03:53,040 Speaker 3: the pandemic, discovered his love of cooking. And he always 63 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:56,920 Speaker 3: had that innate instinct even as a little boy, you know, 64 00:03:56,960 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 3: putting something together. He knew how to kind of close 65 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:03,600 Speaker 3: his eyes and pick the right flavors or something. 66 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:06,920 Speaker 1: But now he cooks. And I was sharing with Sean. 67 00:04:07,680 --> 00:04:11,000 Speaker 3: He said, you know, the only thing that I've ever 68 00:04:11,120 --> 00:04:14,640 Speaker 3: experienced that feels like making music is making a meal. 69 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:16,159 Speaker 1: And to make a. 70 00:04:16,160 --> 00:04:20,560 Speaker 3: Meal alongside other people is like when you're collaborating in 71 00:04:20,600 --> 00:04:24,159 Speaker 3: the studio. You don't know what's going to happen or 72 00:04:24,160 --> 00:04:26,840 Speaker 3: how we're going to invent together to create this same goal, 73 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:35,279 Speaker 3: this piece of art. But everyone has their unique rhythm. 74 00:04:35,520 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 4: Hi, I'm John and I'm making a potatoes alborno with 75 00:04:40,920 --> 00:04:45,440 Speaker 4: sage with lord. The potatoes are done in the wood open, 76 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:47,960 Speaker 4: but you don't need to have a wood open in. 77 00:04:47,920 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: Your house time. Okay, good, you might have one. No, 78 00:04:50,839 --> 00:04:51,800 Speaker 1: I don't, I will don't. 79 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:57,400 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, So this is your recipe that you've chosen. 80 00:04:58,320 --> 00:04:59,000 Speaker 1: Yeah, And so. 81 00:04:59,040 --> 00:05:04,520 Speaker 4: It's just thinly sliced waxy potatoes and then they've been 82 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,919 Speaker 4: tossed with garlic and sage and covered and cooked for 83 00:05:08,960 --> 00:05:13,359 Speaker 4: about forty five minutes, and then the group in another 84 00:05:13,600 --> 00:05:14,440 Speaker 4: it's really. 85 00:05:14,640 --> 00:05:17,599 Speaker 1: A traditional oven. What would you do? You just put 86 00:05:17,640 --> 00:05:19,360 Speaker 1: it in forty five minutes. 87 00:05:19,680 --> 00:05:21,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, So when you read the recipe you'll see to 88 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:26,279 Speaker 4: slice of potatoes, scarlet sage cover it and then you 89 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:28,520 Speaker 4: uncover it and brown it and it will turn out 90 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:29,360 Speaker 4: like that, I promise you. 91 00:05:29,800 --> 00:05:34,719 Speaker 3: And you'd only use the fresh sage leaves, right. 92 00:05:34,640 --> 00:05:37,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, well you can use anything is fine. Roastry. Yeah, 93 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:43,480 Speaker 4: it's really nice with fish or meat, anything another beautiful. 94 00:05:44,440 --> 00:05:49,480 Speaker 3: This is my son's obsession also with there's a beauty 95 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 3: to the irregularity, and there's a beauty to the shaving. 96 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,279 Speaker 1: And like he was like, when you have a true 97 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:57,480 Speaker 1: cratata in Spain. 98 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 5: Yeah, when he's like America, try to make it and 99 00:06:01,400 --> 00:06:05,520 Speaker 5: it's you never get the texture of it, right, there's 100 00:06:05,640 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 5: still like a density like aldento and pasta, yes, exactly. 101 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:10,800 Speaker 4: And I wonder whether it's something to do with the 102 00:06:11,320 --> 00:06:14,719 Speaker 4: potato because it's actually like a waxy potato. By the 103 00:06:14,800 --> 00:06:16,240 Speaker 4: end of today, you'll know how to make that. You 104 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 4: can impress your son and you know what you're where 105 00:06:18,480 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 4: you're going with it? 106 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,520 Speaker 3: Now, Okay, great, I'm going to attempt it. 107 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,800 Speaker 4: I think like when you get really good at cooking, 108 00:06:25,440 --> 00:06:27,160 Speaker 4: I think you don't need to cook with your eyes. 109 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,200 Speaker 4: You cook it with other senses. I reckon you can 110 00:06:30,240 --> 00:06:32,800 Speaker 4: cook with your ears because you can hear how it's cooking, 111 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,640 Speaker 4: aren't you, and then you can obviously smell and she 112 00:06:35,960 --> 00:06:39,440 Speaker 4: just got it like somewhere in your intuition. Yeah, I 113 00:06:39,480 --> 00:06:41,440 Speaker 4: wonder what your son thinks. I love it. 114 00:06:41,480 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 1: I have to ask them. 115 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:44,320 Speaker 2: Need your eyes. 116 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 4: You know, when you're like frying garlic or something, and 117 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:50,560 Speaker 4: when it goes into oil, it's sort of making alloise. 118 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:53,120 Speaker 4: But as it browns, it starts to change in the sound. 119 00:06:53,640 --> 00:06:55,640 Speaker 4: I reckon you can tell when when it's brown. 120 00:06:55,839 --> 00:06:56,880 Speaker 2: Just buying the sound. 121 00:06:57,320 --> 00:06:57,839 Speaker 1: Oh that's so. 122 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, I'm really into I'm really without your eyes. 123 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:03,240 Speaker 1: Yes, all right, again, that's amazing. 124 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:04,400 Speaker 2: I'm not got that. 125 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 4: Well, if he wants to come and have a look, 126 00:07:06,480 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 4: I have a kitchen any time. 127 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,480 Speaker 1: Oh my god, I have to bring in it a 128 00:07:10,560 --> 00:07:12,280 Speaker 1: day with those Are you kidding? 129 00:07:12,360 --> 00:07:15,320 Speaker 2: Yeah? No, oh my god, that would be We talk 130 00:07:15,320 --> 00:07:20,640 Speaker 2: about him. Should we read the recipe first? Why don't 131 00:07:20,680 --> 00:07:21,640 Speaker 2: you read the recipe? 132 00:07:21,760 --> 00:07:22,120 Speaker 1: Okay? 133 00:07:22,200 --> 00:07:28,679 Speaker 3: So the recipe is potato alfoo, four tablespoons of olive oil, 134 00:07:28,960 --> 00:07:34,720 Speaker 3: four garlic cloves, peeled and finely sliced, twenty sage leaves. 135 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:37,520 Speaker 3: We spoke a lot about the sage because the sage 136 00:07:37,560 --> 00:07:41,200 Speaker 3: is beautiful now that spring is here. Eight hundred and 137 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:47,840 Speaker 3: fifty gram's Rosevale or similar yellow waxy potatoes, peeled sea salt, 138 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:51,920 Speaker 3: and freshly ground pepper. You preheat the oven to one 139 00:07:52,080 --> 00:07:55,160 Speaker 3: ninety degrees. You heat the oil and a frying pan. 140 00:07:55,280 --> 00:08:00,520 Speaker 3: Stir in the garlic. Slice each potato lengthway is down 141 00:08:00,560 --> 00:08:04,360 Speaker 3: the middle, so that you are left with two thick slices. 142 00:08:04,640 --> 00:08:08,040 Speaker 3: Place in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, 143 00:08:08,280 --> 00:08:12,800 Speaker 3: tossed together with olive oil and sage. Put in a 144 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:16,600 Speaker 3: baking dish, cover with foil, and you cook in the 145 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 3: oven for forty minutes. About twenty minutes before the end 146 00:08:19,880 --> 00:08:23,400 Speaker 3: of cooking, remove the foil so that the surface of 147 00:08:23,440 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 3: the potatoes become brown. Now the sage looked so fresh, 148 00:08:29,880 --> 00:08:33,120 Speaker 3: which I think is a key. And she was saying, 149 00:08:33,200 --> 00:08:37,480 Speaker 3: these amazing waxy potatoes are from Italy, and I don't 150 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:41,720 Speaker 3: even know how I find those waxy potatoes in California 151 00:08:41,880 --> 00:08:44,520 Speaker 3: or what they translate as. 152 00:08:44,400 --> 00:08:47,240 Speaker 2: I can't answer that, But we can find them. You 153 00:08:47,280 --> 00:08:50,680 Speaker 2: can find great potatoes. I mean, the stream for potatoes 154 00:08:50,679 --> 00:08:52,560 Speaker 2: is when I went to perof you just see all 155 00:08:52,600 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 2: these you know, different different different potatoes. But I bet 156 00:08:55,559 --> 00:08:58,679 Speaker 2: if we went to a market in La we can 157 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:01,800 Speaker 2: find the potatoes so that they'll give you a Rosevelt potato. 158 00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:06,240 Speaker 2: Show it to the amazing, amazing potatoes. 159 00:09:06,600 --> 00:09:11,480 Speaker 3: But I also was so touched, especially because I said, 160 00:09:11,480 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 3: I want to make it for ellery by not only 161 00:09:14,120 --> 00:09:20,920 Speaker 3: the lengthways, but the beauty of irregularity that ellery doesn't 162 00:09:21,240 --> 00:09:26,440 Speaker 3: like precise, the precise look of things. It's even like 163 00:09:26,559 --> 00:09:29,120 Speaker 3: in filmmaking something being off center. 164 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:29,959 Speaker 1: You know that. 165 00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:35,080 Speaker 3: There's something so beautiful about the way it looks. And 166 00:09:35,120 --> 00:09:37,720 Speaker 3: I was really touched by that. And he always comments 167 00:09:37,760 --> 00:09:40,280 Speaker 3: on that, like when we've been in Spain and you 168 00:09:40,320 --> 00:09:44,640 Speaker 3: have a frittata and the potatoes the density, like he 169 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:47,360 Speaker 3: was comparing it to al dente and pasta, like you 170 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:47,600 Speaker 3: have it. 171 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: There's a little bite to them, and. 172 00:09:49,600 --> 00:09:52,960 Speaker 3: They can be very potatoes can be very mushy. 173 00:09:53,160 --> 00:09:56,240 Speaker 2: Well that's why I think there when she said waxy, 174 00:09:56,720 --> 00:09:59,960 Speaker 2: they're not flowering. You know, you have a baked potato 175 00:10:00,240 --> 00:10:02,640 Speaker 2: with sour cream or whatever you have with it, you 176 00:10:02,720 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 2: want it to be quite flowery. And we have mashed potatoes. 177 00:10:05,559 --> 00:10:07,200 Speaker 1: You want them not to be waxy. 178 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: But these hold their shape and they kind of a 179 00:10:10,120 --> 00:10:13,680 Speaker 2: defined and always sounds better and better. What where is he? 180 00:10:13,800 --> 00:10:15,320 Speaker 1: I know, we got to get him over here. 181 00:10:15,360 --> 00:10:18,120 Speaker 2: If he's concerned about the way that potatoes just lie 182 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:21,319 Speaker 2: and I want him here tomorrow. He's a musician. 183 00:10:21,400 --> 00:10:25,360 Speaker 3: He's a musician, yes he did, guitarist, singer, songwriter, and 184 00:10:25,400 --> 00:10:28,640 Speaker 3: now he's just started producing his first record for an 185 00:10:28,679 --> 00:10:32,720 Speaker 3: amazing artist, a female singer songwriter. And so I think 186 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:37,160 Speaker 3: sound and instinct is everything. You know, it's really Yeah, 187 00:10:37,200 --> 00:10:38,439 Speaker 3: it's beautiful. 188 00:10:38,200 --> 00:10:42,120 Speaker 2: But over food, talking over food, food and sharing a 189 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 2: meal and creating also really happens together, doesn't it so much? 190 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:49,720 Speaker 1: I was just saying to a girlfriend. 191 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 3: She was like, what is the thing that makes you know? 192 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:56,079 Speaker 3: And I said, if anyone mistreated a waiter, I deal, 193 00:10:56,440 --> 00:10:57,800 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, yeah, million percent. 194 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:00,079 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, we're pretty lucky in the restaurant that 195 00:11:00,120 --> 00:11:01,199 Speaker 2: people are really nice. 196 00:11:01,280 --> 00:11:04,400 Speaker 3: And also being raised between Los Angeles and New York. 197 00:11:05,960 --> 00:11:10,520 Speaker 3: I was raised by actor parents, and most waiters are 198 00:11:10,679 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 3: often actors in Los Angeles and New York or musicians, 199 00:11:14,400 --> 00:11:20,760 Speaker 3: and so their respect at the presentation of the specials. 200 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:23,200 Speaker 1: I was taught that. 201 00:11:23,480 --> 00:11:27,280 Speaker 3: You know, you not only the focus and regard, but 202 00:11:27,679 --> 00:11:33,160 Speaker 3: actually honoring their performance of the specials as high art. 203 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:37,839 Speaker 3: And so the performance of specials was given deep. 204 00:11:37,559 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 1: In high regard for. 205 00:11:38,360 --> 00:11:42,040 Speaker 2: A long time. The friend of mine had their two 206 00:11:42,120 --> 00:11:44,760 Speaker 2: children who were like eight and ten. We were all 207 00:11:44,800 --> 00:11:47,840 Speaker 2: having their journalists. We were all having lunch in a restaurant, 208 00:11:48,160 --> 00:11:51,680 Speaker 2: and the little daughter turned him and said blue, daddy, 209 00:11:52,520 --> 00:11:55,760 Speaker 2: and then the sun later on said brown. And I said, 210 00:11:55,960 --> 00:11:58,079 Speaker 2: what are they doing? He said, oh, we've taught them 211 00:11:58,520 --> 00:12:01,079 Speaker 2: to learn the color of the eyes the person who's 212 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:05,000 Speaker 2: waiting on their table, so that they look at them. 213 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:07,160 Speaker 2: And I thought that was really a nice way of 214 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 2: doing it, that they just met the you know somebody. Yeah, 215 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:16,240 Speaker 2: since a brown blue, blue brow, that's amazing, it's nice. Yeah, 216 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,560 Speaker 2: let's go back, Okay, because we've talked about your son, 217 00:12:19,679 --> 00:12:22,000 Speaker 2: we haven't talked about your daughter yet, but about it 218 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:23,640 Speaker 2: does she is? She interested in food. 219 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:28,000 Speaker 3: She is like me, We love food and we appreciate food. 220 00:12:28,080 --> 00:12:33,040 Speaker 3: And she is a fierce young activist. So she definitely 221 00:12:33,360 --> 00:12:35,560 Speaker 3: cares deeply about sustainability and the. 222 00:12:36,120 --> 00:12:39,080 Speaker 1: Politics of food, particularly. 223 00:12:38,360 --> 00:12:41,040 Speaker 3: In the US, and so we have a lot of 224 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:46,480 Speaker 3: conversations about where the food is coming from, carbon emissions, 225 00:12:46,559 --> 00:12:49,880 Speaker 3: how to support it, regenerative farming, the soil itself. 226 00:12:50,280 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: And she was a. 227 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,000 Speaker 3: Really beautiful supporter of a series of films, and I've 228 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:58,920 Speaker 3: been a producer on the most recent, which has Kissed 229 00:12:58,960 --> 00:13:01,559 Speaker 3: the Ground, and now a film made Common Ground. 230 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:03,520 Speaker 1: Which is sort of the sequel to that. 231 00:13:03,840 --> 00:13:07,440 Speaker 3: About regenerative farming. And so she's learned a lot about 232 00:13:07,720 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 3: the question of over tilling and pesticides and big food 233 00:13:13,360 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 3: the industry of it, and obviously the laws in the 234 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,439 Speaker 3: UK and EU are very different than in the US, 235 00:13:21,160 --> 00:13:24,800 Speaker 3: in which chemicals are somehow god in the US, which 236 00:13:24,840 --> 00:13:28,920 Speaker 3: is tragic and hopefully changing more and more with independent farmers, 237 00:13:29,880 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 3: and so she is deeply interested in it, which is 238 00:13:33,400 --> 00:13:34,520 Speaker 3: really beautiful. 239 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:42,480 Speaker 2: Did you know The River Cafe has a shop. It's 240 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:45,920 Speaker 2: full of our favorite foods and designs. We have cookbooks, 241 00:13:46,000 --> 00:13:50,840 Speaker 2: Linden Napkins, kitchen ware, toadbags with our signatures, glasses from Venice, 242 00:13:51,160 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 2: chocolates from Turin. You can find us right next door 243 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:57,560 Speaker 2: to the River Cafe in London or online at shop 244 00:13:57,640 --> 00:14:08,960 Speaker 2: Therivercafe dot co dot K. I'm a grandmother now and 245 00:14:09,400 --> 00:14:12,480 Speaker 2: I think there is something about wanting to cook for 246 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:15,360 Speaker 2: your grandchildren in a way that you were, maybe as 247 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:18,240 Speaker 2: a working mother, not able to do or to do 248 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 2: enough and tell me about the role that your grandmother 249 00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:24,080 Speaker 2: played in your childhood. 250 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,480 Speaker 3: My mom being a single parent when my parents divorced 251 00:14:28,160 --> 00:14:33,120 Speaker 3: and a working actress because of travel, my grandmother raised 252 00:14:33,160 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 3: me when she was gone working, so a majority of 253 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:41,000 Speaker 3: my time was with my grandmother Mary, who's from Alabama, 254 00:14:41,840 --> 00:14:45,840 Speaker 3: and she gave birth to my mom in Mississippi. And 255 00:14:45,920 --> 00:14:51,240 Speaker 3: so the roots of my family are so tied to 256 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:55,320 Speaker 3: food and tradition in the South. 257 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,720 Speaker 2: Southern cooking is the region, isn't it. When we think 258 00:14:58,760 --> 00:15:03,600 Speaker 2: about France in Italy and Britain having you know, the 259 00:15:03,640 --> 00:15:06,080 Speaker 2: north of France has a very different cuisine from the 260 00:15:06,120 --> 00:15:09,360 Speaker 2: south of France, and Piermonte has a very different cuisine 261 00:15:09,400 --> 00:15:12,040 Speaker 2: from Sicily. And then you think about American food and 262 00:15:12,080 --> 00:15:14,840 Speaker 2: you think, well, there's a food of Vermont really different 263 00:15:14,840 --> 00:15:18,280 Speaker 2: from the food of Ohio or but the food actually 264 00:15:18,280 --> 00:15:21,000 Speaker 2: of the South has such a strong identity. 265 00:15:20,800 --> 00:15:24,240 Speaker 3: So strong, and you what's beautiful is you watch the 266 00:15:24,400 --> 00:15:28,440 Speaker 3: DNA of those traditions and where they came from, just 267 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:32,760 Speaker 3: like in the Great Lakes, you know, a very Scandinavian 268 00:15:33,640 --> 00:15:37,720 Speaker 3: focused American cuisine and the South, I mean, particularly in 269 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 3: New Orleans obviously, there's so much French influence, but there's 270 00:15:41,000 --> 00:15:44,400 Speaker 3: also the influence of the American farmer. And what was 271 00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 3: incredible was in lower income families, the food was simpler 272 00:15:51,200 --> 00:15:54,880 Speaker 3: and from the land that you had. But my grandmother 273 00:15:55,480 --> 00:16:00,080 Speaker 3: was getting what she could from her fellow friends and 274 00:16:00,080 --> 00:16:01,760 Speaker 3: and farms locally. 275 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,480 Speaker 2: So did she move to la to take care of you, Yeah, 276 00:16:04,520 --> 00:16:05,520 Speaker 2: oh she didn't. Yeah. 277 00:16:05,880 --> 00:16:11,440 Speaker 3: So it was very based in broad beans, kidney beans, okra, 278 00:16:11,920 --> 00:16:15,920 Speaker 3: collared greens, rice, and you know, that. 279 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: Was sort of the staple of your meal. 280 00:16:18,360 --> 00:16:22,480 Speaker 3: But when she was in the South, especially when they 281 00:16:22,480 --> 00:16:25,600 Speaker 3: were on the farm, the major meal of the day 282 00:16:26,240 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 3: was breakfast, which was so wild. They would have like 283 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:35,240 Speaker 3: really like an early morning breakfast and then go out 284 00:16:35,280 --> 00:16:37,240 Speaker 3: and work in the fields and then come back and 285 00:16:37,320 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 3: have this huge breakfast at like ten in the morning 286 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:44,880 Speaker 3: because they'd already been working since four am. And I 287 00:16:44,960 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 3: remember as a little girl when I would go visit 288 00:16:47,520 --> 00:16:52,760 Speaker 3: my grandfather in Mississippi, and at ten am, it was 289 00:16:53,520 --> 00:16:58,800 Speaker 3: corn bread and eggs and bacon and grits and collars and. 290 00:16:58,760 --> 00:17:02,800 Speaker 1: A coconut cake. The cake or a cake for breakfast 291 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 1: with your coffee. 292 00:17:03,640 --> 00:17:05,400 Speaker 2: You know. Would this be weekdays as well? 293 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:08,679 Speaker 1: Every day for them, every day, you know. 294 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 3: But the Los Angeles version is like Sunday breakfast was 295 00:17:12,600 --> 00:17:13,600 Speaker 3: like a big. 296 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,560 Speaker 2: Did you was your father in the kitchen or never? 297 00:17:16,800 --> 00:17:19,920 Speaker 3: Never, although my mom just told me that when they 298 00:17:19,920 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 3: were first together in New York, he would cook on 299 00:17:24,440 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 3: Sundays for all the unemployed actors, you know, and do 300 00:17:28,280 --> 00:17:32,800 Speaker 3: like a big pasta spaghetti and meatballs or lamb chops 301 00:17:32,920 --> 00:17:36,439 Speaker 3: or some kind of Sunday meal to help feed the 302 00:17:36,480 --> 00:17:41,480 Speaker 3: other actors, and whoever was working would feed everybody. My 303 00:17:41,680 --> 00:17:46,719 Speaker 3: father was raised in Chicago with a very influential and 304 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:51,040 Speaker 3: wealthy family of aristocratic family. 305 00:17:51,200 --> 00:17:54,440 Speaker 2: See the husband of your grandmother who came to look 306 00:17:54,480 --> 00:17:55,840 Speaker 2: after or a different no. 307 00:17:57,080 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 3: Side, Yeah, yeah, the Durn McLeish side, and it was 308 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:02,920 Speaker 3: Secretary of War under FDR. 309 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:05,200 Speaker 1: Poet Laureate of the US. 310 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:08,800 Speaker 2: That Archibald Yeah no, yeah, Now how are you related 311 00:18:08,800 --> 00:18:09,320 Speaker 2: to Archibal? 312 00:18:09,400 --> 00:18:10,760 Speaker 1: That's my dad's uncle. 313 00:18:11,359 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 3: Archibald McLeish was the Poet Laureate under FDR. While his 314 00:18:15,560 --> 00:18:19,720 Speaker 3: grandfather on his father's side, George Dern, was Secretary of 315 00:18:19,760 --> 00:18:20,680 Speaker 3: War under FDR. 316 00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:23,000 Speaker 2: So Warnora Roosevelt. 317 00:18:23,040 --> 00:18:27,600 Speaker 3: His godmother Eleanor I mean I've lost an that one, 318 00:18:27,960 --> 00:18:29,560 Speaker 3: my dad's godmother. 319 00:18:29,600 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 2: Brewster's godmother was Eleanor Roosevelt. 320 00:18:32,040 --> 00:18:36,679 Speaker 3: But in that family, no one go you have someone cooking, 321 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 3: and so he didn't grow up with it at all, 322 00:18:39,520 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 3: but he loved it. 323 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:42,680 Speaker 2: I was thinking, if you don't have any money, then 324 00:18:42,720 --> 00:18:44,360 Speaker 2: probably you have to learn to cook if you want 325 00:18:44,359 --> 00:18:47,359 Speaker 2: to eat well exact But if you do, then you know, 326 00:18:47,440 --> 00:18:49,480 Speaker 2: there are probably quite a lot of men and women 327 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:50,800 Speaker 2: who never went into a kitchen. 328 00:18:50,840 --> 00:18:53,560 Speaker 3: And also, my mom tells so many stories of like 329 00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:59,000 Speaker 3: literally hungry actors in New York City. My mom came 330 00:18:59,040 --> 00:19:00,919 Speaker 3: to New York with twenty two dollars in her pocket 331 00:19:00,920 --> 00:19:03,280 Speaker 3: and a little cardboard suitcase to become an actress from 332 00:19:03,280 --> 00:19:06,920 Speaker 3: a tiny town in Mississippi, knowing no one. And she said, 333 00:19:06,960 --> 00:19:09,480 Speaker 3: you know, you used to go in and if you 334 00:19:09,640 --> 00:19:13,800 Speaker 3: ordered a beer, they would suggest, you know, order a 335 00:19:13,840 --> 00:19:16,560 Speaker 3: beer because it'll fill your stomach, and the bartender would 336 00:19:16,560 --> 00:19:17,520 Speaker 3: give them bread and butter. 337 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 2: But coming out of this family where your grandmother cooked 338 00:19:22,560 --> 00:19:26,320 Speaker 2: for you, where your mother cared about food, your father 339 00:19:26,880 --> 00:19:29,640 Speaker 2: came from a food culture, was there a time when 340 00:19:29,640 --> 00:19:32,520 Speaker 2: you went off on your own and suddenly there was 341 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:34,359 Speaker 2: not that comfort food or a. 342 00:19:34,400 --> 00:19:37,399 Speaker 3: Million percent I mean I started acting at eleven and 343 00:19:37,440 --> 00:19:43,160 Speaker 3: I was on location by myself at sixteen on and 344 00:19:44,600 --> 00:19:50,719 Speaker 3: working on movies meant eating on the run and eating 345 00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:55,840 Speaker 3: poorly and eating in small towns everywhere, and so it 346 00:19:55,880 --> 00:20:00,840 Speaker 3: became what is provided to small town America, which was 347 00:20:01,160 --> 00:20:02,920 Speaker 3: fast food, eating tragic. 348 00:20:03,040 --> 00:20:05,240 Speaker 1: This isn't what you're starting in. 349 00:20:05,800 --> 00:20:14,840 Speaker 3: The late seventies and I only discovered the gift of 350 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:19,920 Speaker 3: the connection between eating beautifully and food becoming a part 351 00:20:20,200 --> 00:20:26,720 Speaker 3: of my artistic experience in the last decade because of 352 00:20:26,760 --> 00:20:27,639 Speaker 3: heroes like you. 353 00:20:28,280 --> 00:20:31,360 Speaker 2: But do you think that you could work or act 354 00:20:31,480 --> 00:20:34,600 Speaker 2: or do what you do better if you actually had 355 00:20:34,960 --> 00:20:37,000 Speaker 2: healthy food on a film set, or do you think 356 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:38,000 Speaker 2: it doesn't matter? 357 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,880 Speaker 3: Well, there are heroes in this movement, and I mean 358 00:20:40,920 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 3: in music, I am so impressed thanks to Maggie Billie 359 00:20:46,520 --> 00:20:49,879 Speaker 3: Eilish's mom, who is working so hard in terms of 360 00:20:50,840 --> 00:20:55,760 Speaker 3: how to feed crew on music productions and touring. And 361 00:20:55,840 --> 00:21:00,000 Speaker 3: there is a new model that a lot of incredible 362 00:21:00,400 --> 00:21:04,200 Speaker 3: companies that are looking at zero waste are looking at 363 00:21:04,560 --> 00:21:09,160 Speaker 3: sustainable models for catering. It's shifting and so we're trying 364 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 3: to figure out on film production how to do that 365 00:21:11,720 --> 00:21:15,600 Speaker 3: more and more. Kate Blanchette care so deeply about this 366 00:21:15,720 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 3: as well. We've been having conversations about, you know, making 367 00:21:19,280 --> 00:21:23,440 Speaker 3: sure there is a model that production follows more and more. 368 00:21:24,119 --> 00:21:26,159 Speaker 2: I know that Wes Anderson, you know, when he did 369 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,840 Speaker 2: a podcast and his dream and there are a few 370 00:21:28,880 --> 00:21:31,639 Speaker 2: directors who would say, would not stop at all, you 371 00:21:31,680 --> 00:21:34,399 Speaker 2: know that sitting down to a meal, Let's do that 372 00:21:34,480 --> 00:21:36,440 Speaker 2: at the end, we'll all go out to dinner. We'll 373 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,679 Speaker 2: do this. But he tried it. He tried giving everyone soup, 374 00:21:40,280 --> 00:21:43,520 Speaker 2: and of course there was a rebellion, especially months of 375 00:21:43,600 --> 00:21:46,320 Speaker 2: crew saying we can't do the lighting of this or 376 00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:47,399 Speaker 2: that out of bowl of soup. 377 00:21:47,560 --> 00:21:53,760 Speaker 3: And it's deeply possible. I've seen it done here and 378 00:21:53,800 --> 00:21:56,680 Speaker 3: I've seen it done in Italy. When I've worked and 379 00:21:58,080 --> 00:22:02,520 Speaker 3: you're you're not taking a lunch so as people are free, 380 00:22:02,680 --> 00:22:06,120 Speaker 3: you're feeding that group of people when cameras taking a break, 381 00:22:06,119 --> 00:22:09,159 Speaker 3: when the actors are taking a break, so that you 382 00:22:09,359 --> 00:22:11,720 Speaker 3: have a shorter day, so that everybody has the. 383 00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 1: Time to be with their family. 384 00:22:13,480 --> 00:22:17,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, and then you have time for a meal with 385 00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:20,600 Speaker 3: your family or your collaborators, which I think works beautifully. 386 00:22:20,800 --> 00:22:22,920 Speaker 3: I mean I've worked on a couple of productions now 387 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:24,200 Speaker 3: where there's. 388 00:22:24,000 --> 00:22:26,760 Speaker 1: A certain amount of meat and it's on order. 389 00:22:26,960 --> 00:22:30,800 Speaker 3: So the day before, if you're someone who wants meet 390 00:22:30,840 --> 00:22:33,880 Speaker 3: a meal that involves meat, you're pre ordering so you're 391 00:22:33,880 --> 00:22:37,880 Speaker 3: not wasting that day of food. And then also working 392 00:22:37,960 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 3: with local communities so that you're taking the food and 393 00:22:42,880 --> 00:22:45,920 Speaker 3: giving it to the community and there's no waste, because 394 00:22:45,960 --> 00:22:47,600 Speaker 3: the waste is shocking. 395 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 2: If you like listening to Ruthie's Table four, would you 396 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 2: please make sure to and review the podcast on the 397 00:23:02,359 --> 00:23:08,040 Speaker 2: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, o wherever you get your podcasts. 398 00:23:08,800 --> 00:23:18,040 Speaker 2: Thank you. What was it like with David Lynch? Because 399 00:23:18,040 --> 00:23:19,600 Speaker 2: you talk about him a lot and you've worked with 400 00:23:19,680 --> 00:23:24,360 Speaker 2: him a lot. What was foodise? What was David's is 401 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:26,119 Speaker 2: what matters? 402 00:23:26,680 --> 00:23:29,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, it matters to him and sharing a meal matters 403 00:23:29,840 --> 00:23:31,919 Speaker 3: to him. And from the first time I worked with him, 404 00:23:31,920 --> 00:23:36,040 Speaker 3: which was on Blue Velvet, I was seventeen, and those 405 00:23:36,119 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 3: meals are some of my favorite memories, which was you 406 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:43,239 Speaker 3: know at night we go and we eat together. You know, 407 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:47,520 Speaker 3: we go to we find a couple of chefs in 408 00:23:47,560 --> 00:23:51,560 Speaker 3: that town that become friends. They know what we love 409 00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:54,600 Speaker 3: and we learn what they make and at the end 410 00:23:54,640 --> 00:23:56,679 Speaker 3: of the day, we'd always have a meal together. 411 00:23:56,840 --> 00:23:59,920 Speaker 2: What about food and movies when you do a food scene, 412 00:24:00,080 --> 00:24:01,680 Speaker 2: their food scenes that you remember. 413 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:03,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, the one I remember the most was on this 414 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 3: experimental film Inland Empire that we made some of that 415 00:24:08,680 --> 00:24:12,000 Speaker 3: movie literally just the two of us, and we shot 416 00:24:12,400 --> 00:24:13,280 Speaker 3: several days. 417 00:24:13,080 --> 00:24:14,679 Speaker 1: In Paris, you and David Lynch. 418 00:24:14,760 --> 00:24:22,159 Speaker 3: Yeah, Inland Empire is this radical journey movie. I think 419 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:25,600 Speaker 3: it's more of a meditation than a linear film, and 420 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:31,840 Speaker 3: it was an amazing experience. We shot over almost three years. Yeah, 421 00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:36,520 Speaker 3: and he wanted to make a film so that everyone 422 00:24:37,119 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 3: could be inspired to make a movie. He's like, if 423 00:24:39,040 --> 00:24:41,879 Speaker 3: you're seventeen years old and you're in Phoenix, Arizona, and 424 00:24:41,920 --> 00:24:44,760 Speaker 3: you've got your grandparents sony camcorder, you pick that up 425 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:47,000 Speaker 3: and you make a movie, and now you can do 426 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:49,560 Speaker 3: it with your iPhone. But we did a scene in 427 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:53,040 Speaker 3: a hotel room in Paris and it was this very 428 00:24:53,119 --> 00:24:56,920 Speaker 3: long monologue me on a phone call and we'd sit 429 00:24:57,000 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 3: down for our cafe ole and he wanted his Penishoko 430 00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:06,879 Speaker 3: law and he would write on a legal pad and 431 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 3: I would sit there and he would look at me 432 00:25:08,920 --> 00:25:12,960 Speaker 3: like a painter and just be writing this monologue and 433 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:14,359 Speaker 3: then he'd give it to me and he's like, now 434 00:25:14,440 --> 00:25:17,800 Speaker 3: while I have my Panasha cola, you learn your monologue. 435 00:25:17,840 --> 00:25:20,600 Speaker 3: And it's like seven pages, and so I'm like, you 436 00:25:20,640 --> 00:25:24,120 Speaker 3: better eat slow, buddy. So then i'd try to learn 437 00:25:24,160 --> 00:25:27,240 Speaker 3: it and do a probably poor job. 438 00:25:26,960 --> 00:25:27,679 Speaker 1: But attempt. 439 00:25:28,400 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 3: And then we'd go to the hotel room and he 440 00:25:32,640 --> 00:25:34,640 Speaker 3: would do my makeup or I would do my makeup, 441 00:25:35,160 --> 00:25:37,680 Speaker 3: or we'd work on it together, and then he would 442 00:25:37,680 --> 00:25:40,560 Speaker 3: set up the shot and we'd shoot the scene. And 443 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:44,560 Speaker 3: we shot this monologue and he was happy with it, 444 00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:45,560 Speaker 3: and I was so exciting. 445 00:25:45,600 --> 00:25:47,840 Speaker 1: He was like, we got it. And so then I 446 00:25:47,880 --> 00:25:49,680 Speaker 1: went and I sat next to the bed. 447 00:25:49,720 --> 00:25:53,000 Speaker 3: There was this little chair and the side table and 448 00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:59,280 Speaker 3: there were two perfect ladree maqueron which that hotel would have, 449 00:26:01,359 --> 00:26:03,760 Speaker 3: and there was a pistachio one. It was so the 450 00:26:03,880 --> 00:26:06,960 Speaker 3: green was so beautiful and he bit into it. It was 451 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 3: so fresh. And then he said, okay, now we'll do 452 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:13,240 Speaker 3: the close up and he set up the shine and 453 00:26:13,240 --> 00:26:14,840 Speaker 3: he goes, where's the macaron? 454 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:17,440 Speaker 1: I'm like, what do you mean? I ate it? He goes, 455 00:26:17,480 --> 00:26:18,680 Speaker 1: you ate my props. 456 00:26:19,240 --> 00:26:23,639 Speaker 5: So that's my biggest memory of food and working with 457 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:25,040 Speaker 5: David in a movie. 458 00:26:25,160 --> 00:26:28,160 Speaker 3: I ate the prop and he was like, you have 459 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:30,920 Speaker 3: to go now to Landerie. 460 00:26:30,880 --> 00:26:33,320 Speaker 1: And get a pistachio macaron I was. 461 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:35,560 Speaker 2: I was once in Mexico and I sat down and 462 00:26:35,600 --> 00:26:38,040 Speaker 2: I was late for lunch, and there was the mayor 463 00:26:38,040 --> 00:26:41,280 Speaker 2: of Mexico City, and I was so starving that I 464 00:26:41,480 --> 00:26:43,760 Speaker 2: ate the crudyte that was in the middle of the table. 465 00:26:43,960 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 2: And the waiter came up and said, you just ate 466 00:26:46,200 --> 00:26:48,639 Speaker 2: our floral arrangement, and I'd eaten some. 467 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,840 Speaker 1: He said, I need the floral arrangement. 468 00:26:52,920 --> 00:26:53,200 Speaker 3: I think. 469 00:26:53,640 --> 00:26:56,280 Speaker 2: Then guess what happened my whole mouth Vietnam. It was 470 00:26:56,359 --> 00:26:59,600 Speaker 2: part of that floral arrangement was some weird plant, and 471 00:26:59,640 --> 00:27:00,640 Speaker 2: I thought, okay. 472 00:27:00,400 --> 00:27:01,480 Speaker 1: I'm gonna die. 473 00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:03,760 Speaker 2: I'm going to die in this lunch with the mayor 474 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 2: in Mexico because I ate the flower flower plant, but 475 00:27:07,520 --> 00:27:10,000 Speaker 2: they've got no called flowers something. Do you think about 476 00:27:10,040 --> 00:27:12,199 Speaker 2: food a lot? Do you think what you're going to 477 00:27:12,200 --> 00:27:14,840 Speaker 2: eat the next day? Or do you go to bed thinking, well, 478 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:16,760 Speaker 2: well I have when I wake up, or do you 479 00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:18,840 Speaker 2: wake up and think what am I going to see? 480 00:27:19,119 --> 00:27:21,320 Speaker 1: My son started cooking. 481 00:27:21,920 --> 00:27:26,200 Speaker 3: We've started having conversations that we never had before, and 482 00:27:26,280 --> 00:27:31,040 Speaker 3: challenging ourselves, you know, like how do we really make 483 00:27:31,760 --> 00:27:35,760 Speaker 3: truly a great Cajun style red beans and rice? Because 484 00:27:35,760 --> 00:27:38,160 Speaker 3: we talk about my grandmother and how i'd have red beans. 485 00:27:37,960 --> 00:27:42,240 Speaker 1: Didn't you know as a baby only? Yeah? 486 00:27:42,280 --> 00:27:44,320 Speaker 2: Did she ever leave you any of her recipes? 487 00:27:45,080 --> 00:27:48,040 Speaker 3: Yes? And in fact, my mother and I did a 488 00:27:48,080 --> 00:27:54,399 Speaker 3: book together of conversations and it's called Honey, Baby Mine 489 00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:56,919 Speaker 3: and the book it's a book. 490 00:27:57,359 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 2: Did you publish it? 491 00:27:58,600 --> 00:27:59,399 Speaker 1: Yeah? 492 00:27:59,480 --> 00:28:04,880 Speaker 3: And and in the sort of subtitle we reference banana 493 00:28:04,880 --> 00:28:08,000 Speaker 3: pudding and there are a few of her recipes for 494 00:28:08,080 --> 00:28:12,000 Speaker 3: chicken and dumplings and for banana pudding and cobbler and 495 00:28:12,080 --> 00:28:15,760 Speaker 3: chicken and dumplings is such an interesting thing because it's 496 00:28:16,000 --> 00:28:20,600 Speaker 3: what is ch It's fascinating because it's like the main 497 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:26,360 Speaker 3: stay meal that can be made no matter what family 498 00:28:26,440 --> 00:28:28,280 Speaker 3: you come from and where you are in life. And 499 00:28:28,320 --> 00:28:32,440 Speaker 3: it's a big part of Southern culture. And I think 500 00:28:32,600 --> 00:28:38,600 Speaker 3: in communities who are struggling, like my mom's family, you 501 00:28:38,640 --> 00:28:42,880 Speaker 3: need flour, you need starch, and you know, and chicken 502 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,120 Speaker 3: and that's it. 503 00:28:44,160 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 1: And so but the dumplings are. 504 00:28:49,040 --> 00:28:53,960 Speaker 3: Radically different, and it's interesting like in the UK, like 505 00:28:54,000 --> 00:28:58,320 Speaker 3: a chicken pie, the idea of flour and in a 506 00:28:58,360 --> 00:29:02,200 Speaker 3: way a dumpling or a potato being used within it. 507 00:29:02,520 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 3: There's a similarity in it, just like cobblers. 508 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:06,280 Speaker 1: I think. 509 00:29:06,320 --> 00:29:10,920 Speaker 2: So in California, being in LA, you have such a 510 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 2: fast availability of great produce, would you say, what do 511 00:29:14,760 --> 00:29:16,120 Speaker 2: you think we do? 512 00:29:16,720 --> 00:29:22,320 Speaker 3: But tragically there is probably the most pesticide use in California. 513 00:29:22,400 --> 00:29:28,840 Speaker 3: So California has a massive trend toward organic and regenerative farming. 514 00:29:29,400 --> 00:29:33,320 Speaker 3: And you can find through farmers' markets and organic markets, 515 00:29:33,480 --> 00:29:39,640 Speaker 3: health food stores some gorgeous produce. And we have not 516 00:29:39,960 --> 00:29:44,920 Speaker 3: illegalized the use of glycasates and roundup in California, which 517 00:29:44,960 --> 00:29:48,400 Speaker 3: is illegal in many farming states throughout the US now, 518 00:29:48,880 --> 00:29:50,080 Speaker 3: which I find tragedy. 519 00:29:51,320 --> 00:29:53,040 Speaker 1: There are so many small. 520 00:29:52,760 --> 00:29:57,600 Speaker 3: Farms and there are some amazing companies and corporations, even 521 00:29:57,680 --> 00:30:01,120 Speaker 3: like general mills that are starting to you put money 522 00:30:01,240 --> 00:30:06,840 Speaker 3: into supporting regenerative farming as their source of soy and wheat. 523 00:30:08,000 --> 00:30:10,480 Speaker 3: That's what we need, I mean, we need the corporations. 524 00:30:10,640 --> 00:30:14,360 Speaker 2: What about what about the wellness industry? Because I know 525 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:18,480 Speaker 2: that you've also done a lot of investigation into what 526 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 2: is wellness? What is you. 527 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:24,720 Speaker 3: Know it starts with food and my mom and I's 528 00:30:24,760 --> 00:30:31,720 Speaker 3: book seemingly is two actresses talking her mother and daughter 529 00:30:31,760 --> 00:30:35,760 Speaker 3: about things we've never spoken about before. But the auspices, 530 00:30:36,000 --> 00:30:39,560 Speaker 3: the reason for its existence, and the hope was to 531 00:30:39,680 --> 00:30:46,640 Speaker 3: promote the fact that my mother moved to a beautiful town, Ohi, California, 532 00:30:46,720 --> 00:30:51,240 Speaker 3: which is gorgeous for produce and farming, to get away 533 00:30:51,240 --> 00:30:57,000 Speaker 3: from la and the smog, and moved into a beautiful 534 00:30:57,040 --> 00:31:02,440 Speaker 3: home surrounded by orange groves, which were those were then 535 00:31:02,520 --> 00:31:06,720 Speaker 3: bought by sun Kiss, therefore Monsanto, and they were spraying 536 00:31:06,760 --> 00:31:11,640 Speaker 3: without notification, and my mom was exposed to glyc estates over. 537 00:31:11,480 --> 00:31:14,440 Speaker 1: Five years and ended up with a lung disease. And 538 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:15,920 Speaker 1: so Hi. 539 00:31:17,520 --> 00:31:24,680 Speaker 3: She's struggling still but doing amazing, And the only protocol 540 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:28,920 Speaker 3: that was given was eating healthfully and to get her walking. 541 00:31:29,400 --> 00:31:33,360 Speaker 3: And so our book is me getting her walking on 542 00:31:33,520 --> 00:31:37,160 Speaker 3: oxygen a few steps and every day we walked, and 543 00:31:37,200 --> 00:31:39,400 Speaker 3: I knew to get her walking, I had to get 544 00:31:39,400 --> 00:31:42,560 Speaker 3: her telling stories, and then I recorded the stories. 545 00:31:42,840 --> 00:31:44,520 Speaker 1: So it unfolded. 546 00:31:44,600 --> 00:31:47,080 Speaker 3: But it also gave us an opportunity to do press, 547 00:31:47,160 --> 00:31:51,360 Speaker 3: to talk about pesticides, and to talk about healthy eating 548 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:57,719 Speaker 3: and wellness and breathing fresh air and exercise and storytelling stories. 549 00:31:57,840 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 2: Well that's what we're doing today, you know the story 550 00:32:00,200 --> 00:32:02,560 Speaker 2: of food, of memory and. 551 00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:07,640 Speaker 3: Passing down recipes and stories of our grandparents and great 552 00:32:07,680 --> 00:32:09,280 Speaker 3: grandparents and not children. 553 00:32:09,520 --> 00:32:12,160 Speaker 2: Do you go out to eat lunch? I go to 554 00:32:12,480 --> 00:32:14,360 Speaker 2: where do you What kind of restaurants do you look 555 00:32:14,400 --> 00:32:15,040 Speaker 2: for when you go? 556 00:32:15,880 --> 00:32:21,520 Speaker 3: Well, hero restaurants like yours that provide local and healthy 557 00:32:21,600 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 3: food that put art and love into it is my favorite. 558 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:31,040 Speaker 3: But I think I tend when I'm traveling on movies, 559 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:36,720 Speaker 3: I tend to find Italian restaurants often because they're the 560 00:32:36,760 --> 00:32:42,280 Speaker 3: food is simpler and the produce is fresh, and so I'll, 561 00:32:42,560 --> 00:32:46,640 Speaker 3: you know, unless I'm in London and I get, you know, 562 00:32:46,760 --> 00:32:50,200 Speaker 3: a home like River Cafe, but you know, but it's 563 00:32:50,280 --> 00:32:54,240 Speaker 3: rare so around the world. You can also often find 564 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:59,960 Speaker 3: restaurants that don't mess it up by you know, smothering food, 565 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,040 Speaker 3: which is a very Southern tradition. 566 00:33:02,240 --> 00:33:05,800 Speaker 1: You just smother everything with every possible. 567 00:33:06,960 --> 00:33:11,960 Speaker 3: Spice and yeah, it's just crazy that you can't taste 568 00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:16,600 Speaker 3: the food anymore. And now that the hobby, I think 569 00:33:16,640 --> 00:33:20,000 Speaker 3: thanks to my son, has been getting to understand the 570 00:33:20,000 --> 00:33:23,440 Speaker 3: food differently and want to understand how to cook well. 571 00:33:23,440 --> 00:33:25,920 Speaker 2: We want to have him here. We want to definitely 572 00:33:26,000 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 2: have more of you and this has been such an 573 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,720 Speaker 2: incredible time and just to talk about food is love, 574 00:33:32,840 --> 00:33:35,320 Speaker 2: and food is sharing, and food is teaching, and food 575 00:33:35,400 --> 00:33:38,720 Speaker 2: is a legacy. It's also comfort, yea. And one of 576 00:33:38,720 --> 00:33:41,560 Speaker 2: the questions that we do ask is there food that 577 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:43,880 Speaker 2: you would go to for comfort. 578 00:33:44,160 --> 00:33:47,320 Speaker 1: It always was cobbler growing up. 579 00:33:47,200 --> 00:33:49,800 Speaker 2: As certain fruit or just any cobbler. 580 00:33:49,440 --> 00:33:53,280 Speaker 1: Maybe peaches pieces. 581 00:33:51,440 --> 00:33:55,600 Speaker 3: That would be, you know, because of remembering my grandmother's 582 00:33:55,640 --> 00:33:58,720 Speaker 3: love of it and her taste, the taste of peaches 583 00:33:58,840 --> 00:34:03,000 Speaker 3: and like that idea of summer and the scent of them. 584 00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:07,600 Speaker 3: And but I think for me now, comfort is. 585 00:34:09,280 --> 00:34:09,960 Speaker 1: Community. 586 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:15,359 Speaker 2: Let's go eat, eat all right, Thank you, thank you, 587 00:34:16,560 --> 00:34:18,320 Speaker 2: Oh my god, that's so beautiful. 588 00:34:23,080 --> 00:34:26,200 Speaker 3: Thank you for listening to Ruthie's Table four in partnership 589 00:34:26,239 --> 00:34:26,880 Speaker 3: with Montclair