Explore every episode of the podcast Hungry for History with Eva Longoria and Maite Gomez-Rejón

Restaurant history tells the story of who we are, what we value, and how culture moves. In this week’s episode of Hungry for History, Eva and Maite explore the impact the French Revolution played in the birth of restaurants and why French Cuisine became the culinary standard. They dive into the contributions of key figures like Auguste Escoffier, who organized the kitchen and standardized culinary techniques, the cultural significance of brasseries, and the role chefs play in shaping restaurant culture. 

We also sit down with Chef Rico Torres of Mixtli, the groundbreaking Michelin-starred restaurant in San Antonio, known for turning Mexican culinary history into an elevated, narrative-driven experience. Together, we explore how menus become archives, how tradition becomes innovation, and how the restaurant world is shifting as more diverse culinary voices take center stage.

Learn more about Mixtli: https://restaurantmixtli.com

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Tierra y Libertad: Food and the Mexican Revolution

In Mexico, revolution was as much about reclaiming the land as it was about reclaiming the kitchen. Over a century after the French Revolution, the Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century drew inspiration from ideas of liberty and equality, showing how food could be political. Indigenous ingredients — dismissed as lower class during the entire Colonial period — became emblems of resistance and unity. Corn, beans, and chile spoke for the people in ways politics could not. Artists and intellectuals celebrated these humble ingredients as the foundation of Mexican identity.

In this episode, Eva and Maite trace how the Mexican Revolution elevated native foods into a symbols of pride, power, and belonging, connecting the fight for justice on the battlefield with cultural identity at the table.

This is part 3 of a 3 part series called, How Eating Shapes History! Haven't heard the first two episodes? Go back and listen from the beginning starting with The French Revolution. 

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Revolution on the Table: The American Fight for Independence and the Birth of National Identity

Before independence was won on the battlefield, it was declared in the kitchen. From boycotts of British tea to the brewing of “Liberty Tea” made from native herbs, Americans turned everyday meals into acts of protest. Taverns became centers of political debate and rebellion, while dishes prepared with local ingredients came to symbolize freedom and self-reliance, and act traced in early cookbooks.

In this episode, Eva and Maite explore how the American Revolution transformed eating into an expression of resistance and how food helped shape a distinctly American identity. They discuss France’s influence on American Independence, and how Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson brought French recipes and dining customs home, forever changing the nation’s culinary culture.

This is part 2 of a 3 part series called, How Eating Shapes History! 

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Liberté, Égalité… Gastronomie: The French Revolution and the Birth of Modern Cuisine 

The French Revolution wasn’t just fought in the streets, it was fought at the table. As bread riots shook Paris and hunger fueled rebellion, the collapse of the aristocracy also dismantled an entire culinary world. Former royal chefs opened the first public restaurants, feeding citizens instead of kings and redefining what it meant to dine in a new democracy.

In this episode, Eva and Maite explore how food became a language of equality and national pride and how revolutionary ideals gave rise not only to modern dining, but also to the first democratic cookbooks. These cookbooks, written for the public rather than the palace, captured the spirit of liberty and gastronomy that would shape not only France, but the way the world eats today.

This is part 1 of a 3 part series called, How Eating Shapes History! Join us next week as we explore the American Revolution. 

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This week, Eva and Maite serve up the surprisingly spicy history of mustard—from ancient apothecaries to royal tables, the rise of Dijon as the mustard capital of the world, and its journey to the Americas. Along the way, they uncover the mysterious moutardier, or mustard-maker. And Maite quizzes Eva to see just how well she knows her mustards!

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What do sacred crops and chips have in common? Turns out, more than you’d think! In this episode, Eva and Maite uncover how Latin America’s native ingredients - corn and potatoes - went from offerings to the gods to the cornerstone of billion-dollar snack industries. They talk about how the Mexican American company Siete Foods is redefining what it means to “know your worth” in the snack aisle, and why honoring your roots might just be the most revolutionary business model of all. 

History, culture, flavor, and empowerment… all that and a bag of chips!

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In part two, Eva and Maite dig into peanut-related idioms as they follow the legume into the modern age where it became a symbol of innovation, resilience, and identity. They talk peanut farming in the American South, George Washington Carver, and the rise of peanut butter as an American obsession. From Southern gardens to Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, the globetrotting peanut transformed economies, culture, and the way we snack.

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In part one, Eva and Maite explore the peanut’s journey through Latin America, from its origins in Indigenous food traditions in South America to its spread into Mexico, the Caribbean, and eventually Asia and Africa. The tiny but mighty peanut became a key ingredient in local dishes wherever it landed, finally making its way to the American South and sparking a national obsession: peanut butter. Along the way, they talk Mexican snacks like crunchy Japanese peanuts and mazapán, and Maite is on a mission to convince Eva to become a full-on peanut lover.

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Eva and Maite kick off season three by cracking open the tiny but mighty oyster: a once democratic delicacy, ancient symbol, natural water filter, and cornerstone of coastal economies. They dive into food idioms and the oyster’s reputation as an aphrodisiac. Plus, they welcome actor Demián Bichir to the show.

For more on oyster farming check out: https://www.billionoysterproject.org/

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Y'all, we're back! - Eva and Maite

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Eva and Maite wrap up the season by reflecting on some of the highlights of season two and on the importance of celebrating our stories and achievements through the lens of food. 

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Ahead of Eva's show, Searching for Spain, we rewind to season one when Maite visited Eva in Spain to discuss the history of wine in Mexico! 

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Whether forced or by choice, our dishes and culinary traditions are constantly being adapted due to migration. This week, Eva and Maite discuss the Sephardic Jewish roots in some of their favorite Mexican dishes, including cabrito (roasted kid goat) and albondigas (meatballs). They welcome medieval scholar, chef and author of Matzah and Flour: Recipes from the History of the Sephardic Jews, Hélène Jawhara Piñer, to the show to talk about one of their favorite topics, tortillas!

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Who popped corn first? What early recipes used popcorn as an ingredient? Who invented the popcorn machine? Who brought popcorn to the movies? From garlands worn by young Aztec girls to honor of the rain god, Tlaloc, to a beloved movie treat around the world, Eva and Maite get into the rich history of our favorite snack… popcorn!

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With spring coming, honeybees are busy foraging nectar and pollen from blooming flowers. From ancient foraging to the modern day farmer’s market - E+M celebrate the rich symbolism of bees and the magical honey-making process in this special episode.

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In this episode, Eva and Maite continue their exploration of the South Texas lands they grew up in. They share stories of hunting and digging for arrowheads and welcome chef and Texas food historian Adán Medrano to the show. Together they reflect on how the land can tell stories about the daily lives of the people who have lived on it, the animals that have inhabited it, and the changes it has undergone over time.

https://adanmedrano.com/cookbook-author-adan-medrano/ 

https://texasindigenousfood.org

https://wwnorton.com/books/The-Social-Conquest-of-Earth/

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Eva and Maite start the episode talking about the complexity of moles and how this ubiquitous Mexican dish melds together flavors, textures, cooking techniques, and spices (!) from around the world. They then delve into the rich and spicy history of spices, which were once so desired by wealthy Europeans they kicked off the Age of Exploration.

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Food preservation has been around for centuries and canned foods are an essential part of our modern-day pantries. From Nicholas Appert in France to John Mason in the U.S. and Don Clemente Jacques in Mexico, in this episode Eva and Maite talk about some of the key characters in the history of canning and pickling.

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With the rising cost of eggs, Eva and Maite decided to dive into the history of one of the most versatile kitchen staples. Who ate eggs first? When did the chicken become domesticated? Why are eggs sold by the dozen? Why are some eggs blue? Learn that and more!

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In this episode Eva and Maite talk Guatemalan comfort foods with Guatemala born and raised actor and host of the new podcast, Greatest Escapes, Arturo Castro. They talk about the rich history of the region and uncover how some staple ingredients - like bananas and coffee - have been tied to political instability and conflict. Maite visits the Guatemalan Night Market in Los Angeles with food writer Bill Esparza.

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In the wake of the LA Wildfires, Eva and Maite welcome Antonio Diaz, an Emmy-award winning and James Beard Award-nominated filmmaker and founder of Life & Thyme to the show. They discuss the restaurant as the soul of a community, how the LA restaurant industry has come together to help those in need, the precarious nature of the restaurant business, and what we can do to help.

Life & Thyme: https://lifeandthyme.com + IG: https://www.instagram.com/lifeandthyme

Antonio’s IG: https://www.instagram.com/liberateantonio/

Independent Hospitality Coalition: https://www.ihcla.org

Feed the Streets: https://www.feedthestreets.info

Hollywood Food Coalition: https://hofoco.org

National Day Laborer Organizing Network (NDLON): https://ndlon.org

Pasadena Community Job Center: http://pasadenajobcenter.com

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Black Seminoles were led to freedom in Northern Mexico where they settled in El Nacimiento in the 1800s. Their Mexican descendants, the Mascogos, have a transnational history that spans borders. Eva and Maite explore this rich history, the cookbook Recetario Mascogo de Coahuila, and Juneteenth, a federal holiday in the U.S. since 2021 that has been celebrated in El Nacimiento since 1865.

They welcome Dr. Maria Hammack, a scholar and historian whose work bridges histories of liberation and abolition, and Windy Goodloe and Corina Torralba of the Seminole Indian Scout Cemetery Association to the show.

• Seminole Indian Scouts Cemetery Association: https://www.seminolecemeteryassociation.com
• Dr. María Esther Hammack: https://mariaestherhammack.me
• Recetario Mascogo de Coahuila: https://contigoenladistancia.cultura.gob.mx/detalle/recetario-mascogo-de-coahuila

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In the years before the Civil War, many enslaved people found freedom in Mexico, where slavery was abolished 36 years before the Emancipation Proclamation. In the first of a two-part series on Freedom Fighters, Eva and Maite explore the Southern route of the Underground Railroad and meet Silvia Webber, often referred to as the Harriet Tubman of Texas. They welcome Dr. Maria Hammack, a scholar and historian whose work bridges histories of liberation and abolition, Sofia Bravo and OJ and Leslie Treviño of the Webber Family Preservation Project to the show.

• Webber Family Preservation Project: http://wfpptx.org/projects.html#/
• Dr. María Esther Hammack: https://mariaestherhammack.me
• Texas Runaway Slave Project: https://digital.sfasu.edu/digital/collection/RSP 

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When people plant their flag in a new country, they do it first though food. In this episode, Eva and Maite talk about the often painful history of Chinese migration to the United States and Mexico and celebrate the rich Chinese contribution to both country’s food-ways. 

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Eva and Maite take a dive into the history of raw fish consumption from ancient Peru and Japan and its possible introductions to Mexico. They explore how ceviche developed into the dish we love today thanks to Japanese immigration to Peru which led to the development of the country’s Nikkei cuisine.

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From Birria Ramen to Esquites, Eva and Maite kick off 2025 exploring the fusion of cultures that can be found when enjoying street food that you can eat in a cup! Plus - Los Angeles based food writer, Bill Esparza, joins the show to discuss how food can build community especially for immigrants planting their flag in a new country. 

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Listen to Hungry for History from the beginning! Enjoy this rewind episode from Season One. 

Eva and Maite take a trip down memory lane as they explore the unique past of Tex-Mex food. From the unknown history of the San Antonio Chili Queens to the difference between Tejano and Chicano, the ladies dive into the rich cuisine that is Tex-Mex.

Maite's Chili Queen-Style Chile con Carne

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Listen to Hungry for History from the beginning! Enjoy this rewind episode from Season One. 

Eva and Maite travel to Papantla, Mexico - home of vanilla. Founded by the Totonacs, vanilla's first cultivators, the city of Papantla is the perfect place to explore the history of this edible orchid native to Mexico. Plus, Maite attends a Voladores de Papantla rain ceremony and Eva pollinates a vanilla bean at a farm called, Gaya Vanilla. 

Vanilla Chicken Recipe

Ingredients: 

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken cutlets
• 2 vanilla beans, spilt lengthwise and seeds scraped
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 a cup of heavy cream
• 1/2 a cup of ricotta 

Instructions: 

• Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap or parchment paper and, using a mallet, pound to 1/3-inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the butter in a large skillet set over medium-high. Add the chicken and cook about 3 minutes per side or until cooked through.
• Remove chicken from skillet and set aside.
• In the same skillet, sauté the onion until soft and transparent.
• Add the vanilla seeds to the onions and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
• Place the vanilla infused onions and butter in a blender along with the heavy cream and ricotta. Blend until smooth.
• Pour the sauce back into the skillet set over low heat and cook for about 3 mins.
• Return the chicken to the sauce and simmer over low heat for about 5 mins.
• Enjoy with corn tortillas and fried plantains. 

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Eva and Maite ring in the new year by popping open a bottle of sparkling and diving into the history of Champagne, Prosecco, and Cava!

Happy New Year, ya’ll. See ya in 2025. - Eva and Maite

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Listen to Hungry for History from the beginning! Enjoy this rewind episode from Season One. 

Eva and Maite kick off the series with the tortilla, a staple in Mexican cuisine and the source of a centuries-long conundrum... corn or wheat? The women taste test Eva’s homemade flour tortillas and try some from Sonoratown, a casual destination for Northern Mexican-style tacos in Los Angeles. Maite visits Acapulco Mexicatessen in East LA to experience the nixtamalization process. Plus, Jorge Gaviria, founder of Masienda, shares his thoughts on the corn vs flour debate. 

Check out Jorge Gaviria’s new book! MASA – Techniques, Recipes and Reflections on a Timeless Staple  

Learn more about Sonoratown here.

Find out all about Acapulco Mexicatessen here. 

Eva’s Flour Tortillas aka HEB - Mother's Flour Tortillas 

Ingredients: 

• Recipe makes 12 Servings 
• 2 cup(s) All Purpose Flour  
• 1 Tsp Baking Powder  
• 1 Tsp Iodized Salt  
• 1/2 cup(s) Crisco All Vegetable Shortening  
• 2/3 cup(s) water, warm 

Instructions: 

• Mix flour, baking powder, salt and shortening in bowl. 
• Add warm water, knead with one hand until dough is well mixed. 
• Form into medium size balls. 
• Roll out each ball into a thin circle. 
• Place on hot griddle, cook one side for about 1 minute, then turn and cook the other side completely until well done. 

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In the spirit of the holiday season, Eva and Maite dive into the origins of buñuelos! You’ll also discover where the Christmas tree tradition came from and delve into the history of funnel cakes, churros and the Hanukkah jelly donut.

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To some people, desserts are more than a sweet ending to a meal, they are the main reason for the meal! With sweets in our holiday midst, Eva and Maite delve into the history of some of our favorite north and south of the border desserts including flan, arroz con leche, cheesecake and pecan pie.

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Eva and Maite, buds in all things tasty, enjoy a special treat from Tamales Olmeca, while also diving into the tradition of making tamales this time of year. 

Here's a short bonus clip about tamales! 

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It's caldo season! Warm soups and stews are the perfect cure for a cold, a broken heart, or a cruda. Eva and Maite kick back in the kitchen to make white pozole and tortilla soup, two of their favorite comforting dishes.

Tortilla Soup from the cookbook: Eva's Kitchen 

White Pozole from the cookbook: My Mexican Kitchen

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Eva and Maite enjoy salt rimmed margaritas while exploring the history and origins of salt, a mineral-turned commodity harnessed by some of the most powerful ancient civilizations, including Mexico! Plus, did you know that the turkey ("America's bird") is actually Mexican? That, and so much more on this special episode of Hungry for History.

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With the holidays upon us, this time of year is one of the busiest for markets. On this episode, Eva and Maite go back in time to explore how early communities centered around one thing - mercados! The soul of every community, mercados provided people with gossip, entertainment and, of course, food!

Plus, Chef Bryan Ford joins the show to talk about his new book, Pan y Dulce: The Latin American Baking Book. The cookbook is filled with the yummiest recipes from Latin America and explores breads and ingredients that would have been sold in pre-Hispanic markets.

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Beyond a source of nourishment, for centuries food has been used as a form of protest and activism around the world. From cookbook writing during the American Civil War to Mexican revolutionaries who helped empower women through the kitchen, Jose Andres’s World Central Kitchen and Meymuna Hussein-Cattan’s kitchen with a mission, Flavors from Afar, in this special episode Eva and Maite discuss the different forms of food for good.

Links from today's episode:  

https://wck.org/ 

https://www.gutenberg.org/files/25631/25631-h/25631-h.htm

https://www.flavorsfromafar.co/ 

https://www.tiyya.org/ 

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In this episode, Eva and Maite explore the histories of the Milanesa and Chicken Fried Steaks of their childhoods. They uncover legends and early recipes including where the term “golden brown” may have come from. Plus - Maite welcomes a very special guest, her mom (!), to the podcast and together they travel through time and make the Milanesa she grew up with.

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Eva and Maite, buds in all things food, dive into Día de Los Muertos (Day of the Dead), one of the most celebrated holidays in Mexico. 

Enjoy this BONUS content on Pan de Muerto (Bread of the Dead), a pastry made for this special day. 

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To celebrate Halloween Maite and Eva sip Vampiros, a blood red Mexican cocktail, while exploring vampire-like characters in Mesoamerican mythology. The ladies dive into history and uncover the connection between chocolate and witchcraft in colonial Latin America. Plus, host of Susto and South Texas native, Ayden Castellanos joins the show to share scary stories from the Texas/Mexico border!

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Garlic lovers, Eva and Maite take us back in time to unravel the mysteries of Garlic, a vegetable with medicinal properties used mostly to flavor food. Eva attempts to convert non egg eater, Maite, into a fan by making a garlicky egg dish from her cookbook, Huevos con Jocoque! 

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To celebrate the launch of Eva’s new cookbook, Eva and Maite talk about how cookbooks can serve as windows into cultures and histories. They discuss the first published cookbooks (one of which involves a plagiarizing scandal!), cookbook history in Mexico, and how recipes can serve as a form of activism.

Books discussed in this episode include:

Libro de cocina de Fray Geronimo de San Pelayo, 18th century

Libro de cocina Sor Juana Ines de la Cruz, 17th century

UTSA’s Mexican Cookbook 

Recetario para la memoria

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As South Texans, Eva and Maite have carne asada flowing through their veins! Join them as they talk about the history of grilling meat, cowboy culture, and how Mexican barbacoa paved the way for American barbecue.

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When and where was pasta invented? How did sopita de fideo and mac and cheese become classic comfort foods in Mexico and the United States? Eva and Maite explore these questions and more as they trace the history of our favorite comfort foods and head to the kitchen to cook Tacos de Fideo from Eva’s new cookbook. 

Try Maite's Mac and Cheese Recipe HERE! 

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Eva and Maite head to the kitchen to prepare a deconstructed bacon wrapped hot dog recipe from Eva’s new cookbook. And they share lots of history of course! From the earliest references to sausages in antiquity, to how said sausage found two warm pieces of bread to snuggle into, how immigrants transformed it into our favorite baseball food and how the humble sausage found bacon and chiles in Mexico. This episode is all about creativity!

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Eva and Maite, buddies in all things tasty, kick off the new season by making their favorite cocktail, the Paloma! 

For one cocktail:

• 1.5 oz tequila
• 1.5 oz grapefruit juice
• 1/2 oz fresh lime juice
• 1/4 oz agave
• Put in a cocktail shaker with ice and shake.
• Strain into ice filled glass and top off with a splash of grapefruit soda. 

Enjoy this BONUS content! 

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Eva and Maite kick off season 2 exploring the history of some of their favorite Latin American cocktails, classic bartender’s manuals, Prohibition and more! Maite chats with Marlene Olarra, the beverage director at Nativo in Highland Park, who prepares classic American cocktails with a Latino twist. Salúd!

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Hungry for History is back! Welcome to season two, ya'll. - Eva and Maite

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Eva and Maite reflect on the highlights from the season and discuss the changing perceptions of Mexican food in the United States. Plus, award-winning Chef Ray Garcia, formerly of Broken Spanish and BS Taqueria, now of asterid in Downtown Los Angeles - shares his experiences as a Mexican-American breaking ground in the culinary world.

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Eva and Maite dive into the history of street vending and explore the backstory of the taco. Rudy Espinoza, executive director of Inclusive Action for the City, joins the show to share how his organization helps street vendors in Los Angeles. Plus, Hungry For History visits the Piñata District in Downtown LA to talk to Merced Sanchez, an activist and entrepreneur. 

Want to learn more about Inclusive Action for the City? Click here. 

Books discussed in this episode: 

• Planet Taco: A Global History of Mexican Food, Jeffery Pilcher
• Los Angeles Street Food: A History from Tamaleros to Taco Trucks, Farley Elliott
• Food, Health, and Culture in Latino Los Angeles, Sarah Portnoy

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