Counterjam – Details, episodes & analysis

On Play Me a Recipe, your favorite cooks will walk you through their most treasured recipes, offering all the insider tips, stories, and tricks you won't get from a written recipe—and you'll be right alongside them, every step of the way. 

If you're cooking along, here's the recipe we're making today. Go ahead and grab the ingredients below before starting the episode.

Subscribe to The Genius Recipe Tapes here.

Referenced in this episode:

• Toni Tipton-Martin's Louisiana Barbecued Shrimp recipe
• Toni's non-profit, The SANDE Youth Project
• Toni Tipton-Martin named 2021 Julia Child Award recipient (The Julia Child Award)

Genius-Hunter Extra Credit:

• Check out Toni's cookbooks, Jubilee and The Jemima Code
• For more recipes celebrating Black food history, check out @meikoandthedish's 38 Jubilant Recipes to Kick Off Black History Month

Special thanks to listeners Christina (@berrygoodfoodfdn) and Meiko (@meikoandthedish) for calling in this week.

Is there a genius recipe you'd like to share? Tell me all about it at genius@food52.com.

Relationships with teriyaki, sushi stereotypes, and the immigrant hustle—host Peter J. Kim looks at Japanese-American cultural identity with comedian Yumi Nagashima, rapper G Yamazawa, and producer Dan the Automator.

Check out Counterjam on Spotify for bonus playlists featuring tracks from Yumi, G, Dan and so many other wonderful Japanese-American artists!

This episode is all about the city that never sleeps and always eats. Host Peter J. Kim looks at the undefinable cuisine of New York City, with the help of A Tribe Called Quest founding member Jarobi White and multiplatinum artist, chef, and fashion icon Kelis.

Referenced in this episode:

• Are you, too, a sauce person? Check out Kelis's Skillshare on the stuff.
• Peter is still going with his Tribe. Check out Counterjam on Spotify for bonus playlists like this one featuring evitaN, Nickodemus, and so many other wonderful artists from NYC!

Host Peter J. Kim is joined by content creator Carolina Gelen and author Irina Georgescu to talk about mamaliga, pickles, and Romania's super juicy sausages, as well as how communism shaped the family dinner table. Peter also discusses the musical influence of Romania's Romani people with Henry Ernst, manager of the energetic brass band Fanfare Ciocărlia.

Host Peter J Kim takes a trip to the United Kingdom to explore puddings, PFCs, and the mysterious saveloy dip. Food Network host Mary McCartney invites us into her home to talk about the importance of Sunday roasts, and food and music memories with her father Paul McCartney. Jonathan Nunn, the founder of Vittles, guides us through the most important food on the streets of London—and it's not fish and chips. Through it all, listen to music by British rapper, Hyphen, who accurately describes his style as "sexy lounge rap."

Our next episode is coming out in just a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, check out Counterjam on Spotify for Peter's playlist of the wonderful musicians from this and past seasons. 

The current crisis in Ukraine is a nightmare. While we may try to quantify its toll in the number of lives lost, we also need to consider the culture that is being threatened. In this episode of Counterjam, host Peter J Kim goes course by course through a festive Ukrainian meal with Anna Voloshyna, chef and author of the forthcoming cookbook Budmo!  Lviv-based band Odyn v Kanoe provides a truly moving soundtrack.

Our next episode is coming out in just a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, check out Counterjam on Spotify for Peter's playlist of the wonderful musicians from this and past seasons. 

Host Peter J. Kim rings in Persian New Year with stories, laughter, and dancing alongside some truly incredible guests. Emmy-award-winning actress Shohreh Aghdashloo, Top Chef judge and former Food & Wine editor in chief Nilou Motamed who both talk to Peter about why rice is fundamental to the Iranian culinary experience, and Yvette Massoudi, the singer and founder of the band Mitra Sumara who's music facilitates a truly irresistible urge to dance. 

Our next episode is coming out in just a couple of weeks, but in the meantime, check out Counterjam on Spotify for Peter's playlist of the wonderful musicians from this and past seasons. 

With the help of dancehall legend Shaggy and reggae legend Ziggy Marley, host Peter J. Kim looks at Jamaican cuisine and culture: from patties to patois, the origins of toasting and (quite possibly) the smoothie, the underlying current of personal and societal revolution that pulses through reggae, and what a Jamaican restaurant menu can tell you about the country's multicultural history.

That's a wrap for Season 3—we'll be back in a bit, but in the meantime, check out Counterjam on Spotify for Peter's playlist of the wonderful musicians we couldn't quite squeeze into this season. 

Host Peter J. Kim looks at the beauty and energy of Brazil, and reflects on issues related to home and scarcity with musician Bebel Gilberto, and Woodspoon chef Natalia Pereira. Music is by the rapper Kunumi MC. Check out Counterjam on Spotify for more tracks to groove along to.