Let's Get Real

From Erica Wides herself: Speaking of soda, and Mormons, (we are, in today’s show) in yesterday’s edition of the paper of record there was an article about a lawsuit that is raging between two Utah drink companies, Swig v. Sodalicious. Have you heard of either of these chains? No, you wouldn’t unless you lived in the Mormon enclaves of Utah. Swig and Sodalicous are drinks stores, much like Starbucks, but they sell giant cups of soda, mega-slushies, so-called “energy” drinks, and giant cookies. What differentiates them from say, just a 7-11, is that they customize giant soda drinks with flavored syrups and added creaminess, to make what they call “dirty” sodas. The dirty being the Mormon version of acting slightly naughty in their squeaky-clean seeming lives. (Although I got some of the dirt on actual Mormon naughtiness from a very chatty ex-Mormon massage therapist one night, and hoo boy, the hypocrisy) Anyway, adding shots of sweetened, sugary, coconut, strawberry, red velvet, or blue raspberry syrups (amon

This week’s episode of _ Let’s Get Real _, as explained by host Erica Wides herself: So just imagine my joy and happiness upon learning that Organic Avenue, the juice and raw-vegan “food” chain has landed on the giant compost heap of nutritional trends. The entire chain has gone under. Way under. Bankruptcy, Out of biz! Whoohoo! They went under, had huge debt, owe hundreds of people thousands of dollars, and the founders made millions off a sale to an investment company. How utterly American of them! Living the dream in the Hamptons while all their employees and suppliers are left holding their empty orange totebags. They milked that juice for all they could, until the little bottles of unpasteurized fish tank algae water went bad, then they collapsed. Nice. Sounds very…I don’t know, mortgage crisis-y? Just saying. One former partner was quoted as saying “you can’t build a business on what Gwyneth Paltrow says she likes” which was the first intelligent thing I agreed with about the company. After all, would y

Today, on a new Let’s Get Real! Erica Wides: “In Italy, in 1984 I drank my first cappuccino, I’d never really had anything in the espresso family, and this foamy, dark, rich creature was something else. I was hooked on the capp. But, as I was quickly admonished after ordering one late in the day, you don’t drink cappuccino anytime after breakfast. Milk is a morning item for Italians, once you drink it in the morning, that’s it. Cut off. Unless… you’re American, then they’d just roll their eyes and serve you. Or at least that’s how it was in the 80’s, when tradition still ruled and cultures were worth saving. And… just a mere 40 years, may I quickly remind you, after we saved the Italians from becoming German speakers. Oh, You’re welcome, Italy. I know at the time, you weren’t really cool with it, but do you see now, how well it all worked out right? Allies, Axis, who got the better deal? No need to thank us, but ok. Prego, prego. You’re so welcome. And now, 30 years after my historic visit to your beautiful c

Live from the Foodiness Fallout Shelter…It’s the 2nd or 3rd annual (I can’t remember) Golden Uncrustables awards show! Starring….your host, Erica! With Ryan Seacrest on the red carpet, and Jack Inslee on the Twitter feed! Before we get started, let’s just re-introduce all of our 87 million global listeners and viewers to the Golden Uncrustable, and give a little historical information about the awards. The Golden Uncrustable is an award for Foodiness atrocities committed, Foodiness audaciousness and just plain old Foodiness bullshit. It is named in honor of the “Uncrustable” a frozen, pre-made, crustless peanut butter and jelly sandwich, sold by Smuckers. The Uncrustable represents EVERYTHING to me that’s wrong in food in America today. “Today’s parents are trained dog servants to their chubby over-indulged offspring.” [12:00]  

Does Foodiness cause wrinkles? Erica Wides is back with a heartfelt episode on apples, aging, Laura Ingalls, Ira Apfel and .. yes, wrinkles.

How does Erica Wides come up with the topics featured on _ Let’s Get Real _? Usually during a hike or at the gym great ideas pop up, but, she has one big problem: the loud music!  Is it possible to just turn down sometimes? After the break, Erica pulls this all together with food and foodiness by means of the term: misophonia.  Tune in to hear Erica’s spin on this clamorous claim. “Misophonia is the intolerance or hatred of the sound of food… or the sound of people eating food.” [17:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real  

Erica Wides is not happy. Pumpkin spice is everywhere, Burger King is making black buns, foodiness has taken over and everybody is trying to sell you a pink ribbon (or a donut). She wonders if these ribbons and donuts really do anything to make us healthier and proposes something entirely new – Foodiness Awareness Month. You might want to sit down for this one. “Going back 3,000 years in food history, the pumpkin spice mania has never been as high as it is today. It’s a true sign of the apocalypse. Our days may be numbered.” [02:00] “With all the corn grown in the USA — artificiaial candy corn flavor??? I have no comment on that..” [13:00] “If your poop is green and it’s not because you’ve OD’d on Broccoli – you’ve got a problem.” [22:00]

How does foodiness trash find its way to the woods? Erica Wides shakes her head at diapers on the hike trail this week on Let’s Get Real. Why do so many food brands package their “food” in layers upon layers of unnecessary plastics? Why do those plastics end up everywhere? Tune in and lament with your faithful host. rubbish in the forest under tree “We are drowning, dying and suffocating in plastic packaging. More than half the fish caught now have tiny plastic pellets in their stomachs.” [17:00]  

Why are Americans so afraid of food? We are so afraid of the safeness of the food that we are eating, that it’s preventing us from allowing ourselves to see it as it truly is. Our perceptions of what food is safe and what isn’t have been completely warped by strict health codes and air-tight packaging. This week on Let’s Get Real, Erica Wides examines the tendency that Americans have to let their fear of food prevent them from eating some of the most delicious things nature has to offer. “I think it all boils down to fear. The pathological fear of food that we Americans have.” [9:00] “The smell is bad, but it’s the smell of meat. It’s the smell of dead animals. But if you’re going to eat them, shouldn’t you know what they actually smell like?…….. We need to get over the fear.” [19:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real

What does the word “done” mean to you? Is it a raw slab of red meat served as is on a plate, or do you like it cooked into a greyish-black oblivion? This week on Let’s Get Real, Erica Wides discusses the concept of “doneness”. Can doneness function on a spectrum similar to autism or sexuality? Erica argues that the amount of “doneness” depends on the person preparing the meat and how they enjoy to cook and eat it. But even though there is a wide range of “doneness” preferences, we can all still manage to look past our differences and enjoy a nice meal together. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “Pretty much all fish should be eaten one of two ways: raw…… or very carefully cooked.” [7:00] “When it comes to fish, unlike sexuality or personality disorders, there is no spectrum. There is either wrong or right.” [10:00] “We’re all on that spectrum somewhere, but it’s ok, and we can all still eat together.” [27:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real

Anyone that says that they don’t like to eat fish have probably only ever eaten tilapia, which is the worst fish ever according to Erica Wides on this week’s episode of Let’s Get Real. Despite tilapia being incredibly bland and tasteless, it is one of the most popular kinds of fish and is available on almost every menu at every restaurant. Scombroid fish, the fast moving, dark meat fish like Tuna and Swordfish which taste better are being over-fished and also have dangerous levels of mercury, so restaurants are trying to find different fish to serve. Erica discusses some alternatives to these classic fish choices, such as bluefish or mackerel which are not only safer to eat, but way more delicious than a disgraceful broiled tilapia. “The cleanup efforts have definitely paid off because there are fish species that are returning that we haven’t seen in years.” [11:00] “Tilapia is a fish for non-food people. People who don’t understand food eat Tilapia.” [25:00] “It’s not about me, it’s about the fish. The poo

Did you know that more than half of America’s kids are chronically dehydrated? Yup. Know why? Foodiness drinks; like Sporty-Ade and Crappi-Sun pouches, and Juicee-Boxes…and regular and diet sodas, all contribute to fat, sick, and dehydrated kids. Kids who may very well grow up to vote for TED CRUZ! Or even worse! Wait, what’s worse than Ted Cruz? Listen to find out, on a live, hydrated, and in full living color Let’s Get Real! “Water creates life. We are water. However you want to define life – it’s all about water. We can’t deny that science. So how did we get so far away from it? How did we spurn it so intensely and intentionally? How did we get so far away from our need for water?” [27:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real

Erica Wides is not alone in the #foodiness shelter this week! On today’s episode of Let’s Get Real Erica is joined by The Sarcastic Nutritionists! Josh and Gretchen, the masterminds behind that snark-tastic name, and the bloggers and “Etsy with a sense of humor” creators of their namesake products come down the ladder to the shelter to talk what else? ‪#‎Foodiness‬. Oh and nutrition, whatever that really means anymore, and Erica’s new theory that kids who are diagnosed with ADHD are really just dehydrated. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “What’s the difference between a dietitian and a nutritionist? Student loans… a dietitian has student loans.” [06:45] –“The Sarcastic Nutritionist” on Let’s Get Real

This week on Let’s Get Real Erica starts the show by giving us an update on her hunt for the perfect snack, and then moves on to a discussion about chicken protein powder. Why are we so obsessed with having as much protein as possible, and why do food companies feel they have to add protein to everything from cookies to water? Erica goes in to a discussion all about real food products this week on Lets Get Real. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard and Winery. “Call me crazy but real food ingredients have recognizable flavors and smells…a 50 gallon drum of chicken dust, not sure.” [19:00] “The company that makes it recommends it as an additive to drinks, like chicken dust smoothies!??” [20:00] — Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real

This week on Let’s Get Real host Erica Wides interviews Sayre Piotrkowski and Collin McDonnell for a conversation all about how foodiness and beer have intertwined. Erica, Sayre, and Collin discuss how, just like the wine industry has evolved since the 70s, beer seems to be on the same track. How do we tell the difference between people who are doing beer the right way, and people who just want to get there piece of a new trend? Who can we really trust in the world of brew? All this week on Let’s Get Real. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard and Winery. “There is a lot of great literature if you want to learn how to brew…unfortunately most of it is faux craft.” [14:00] You are being manipulated by the packaging, its telling you what to by…with beer the experience is mitigated by someone like me…thats where the role of the critic or curmudgeon comes in handy.” [17:00] — Sayre Piotrkowski and Collin McDonnell

Erica Wides has snacking on her mind on a brand new episode of Let’s Get Real. Why do we love snacks so much? What is a “Quesorito”? Fight the foodiness, tune in and embrace real food! This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery “Americans consume 500-700 calories a day JUST from snacking!” [18:00] “Nobody needs to eat a quesorito.. I don’t even know what a quesorito is!!!” [25:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real

There are special guests this week on Let’s Get Real! Erica Wides is joined by some friends in the foodiness fallout shelter, Cara Tannenbaum & Andrea Tutunjian – co-authors of In a Nutshell: Cooking and Baking with Nuts and Seeds The only cookbook of its kind, In a Nutshell is a complete guide to cooking and baking with nuts and seeds. After working for years as instructors at the Institute of Culinary Education, Cara Tannenbaum and Andrea Tutunjian deliver the essential cookbook for Mother Nature’s most versatile and nutritious ingredients. With more than 250 recipes exploring the culinary and cultural history of nuts and seeds in everything from Pumpkin Seed Guacamole to Hazelnut Roulade, In a Nutshell unites the smooth, crunchy, savory, and sweet. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “We did this out of love for what it was – and then it turned into something that was current.” 07:00 –Cara Tannenbaum on Let’s Get Real

Erica Wides doesn’t like sports. Big surprise. But recently she learned what an “over-under” is… or if you’re speaking in a NYC sports talk radio accent .. the “ovah-unduh”. The “ovuh-unduh” is an American phenomenon. After the industrial revolution and the mechanization and centralization of farming and the invention of post-war chemical fertilizing and the subsequent government subsidizing of commodity grains and then the subsequent shift in out diets to a corn and soybean orgy of grain and grain fed products, we are all now LIVING the ovuh-unduh. Intrigued? Tune in and hear more. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery “I hate the sound of sports radio the same way I hate the sound of the show Top Gear.” [12:00] “We produce more food on this planet than we could ever consume, and yet we throw away almost 40% of it.” [15:00] “Just the thought of Las Vegas and all of its buffets makes me break out in a cold sweat.” [19:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real

This week on Lets Get Real Erica starts off the show by talking about her favorite imaginary/real best friend, Laura Ingalls Wilder author and subject of the Little House on the Prairie book series. She draws from what she thinks Laura’s perspective of food in our modern day and age would be. Would Laura even recognize the things that we call food today, and how does our increasing amount of choices in our diet cause problems in the modern world, all discussed on this weeks episode. This program was sponsored by Cain Vineyard and Winery. “Our standard America diet is so un-flavorful…we have to smother everything in barbecue sauce and ketchup.” [6:00] “It was never whats for dinner? It was whats not for dinner [In Little House on the Prairie].” [13:00] — Erica Wides on Lets Get Real

Erica Wides celebrates 125 episode of Let’s Get Real by going back to the basics — milk! What makes breastmilk so special? Why does anybody use formula? Well – there’s a lot to unpack here. Erica calls baby formula the original “foodiness” product – is she right? Tune in and hear her share her opinions on the issue of breastmilk vs formula. This program was brought to you by Cain Vineyard & Winery. “We can all agree that mama milk kind of crushes soy-based formulas – no matter what. Breast milk has miraculous properties.” [03:00] –Erica Wides on Let’s Get Real