Point of Origin Episode 3
From a Flower
Dates, honey and saffron, we’re gettin sweet and spicy with stories from Egypt to Iran.
In episode 3, we meet Leila Elamine of The Recipe Hunters, Gordon Hull of Heidrun Meadery, and spice expert Ethan Frisch of Burlap and Barrel.
Available on Apple Podcast, Spotify, & iHeartRadio
This is one of the most beautiful, surreal places…
Leila Elamine, is co-founder of The Recipe Hunters, friends of Whetstone and our frequent collaborators. They travel the world volunteering on farms and documenting diminishing food recipes and traditions. In this story from an Egyptian oasis, Leila, with great detail and enthusiasm, tells us the harrowing tale of a high stakes date harvest. We also learn about her unusual path into documentary film and food media as a former medical student. This story appears in Whetstone Magazine Volume 4.
From a Flower
We examine the life of a family of saffron farmers in eastern Iran in this story from Whetstone Magazine Volume 3. The work is grueling, but the final result is incredibly rewarding.
Spain produces about a ton of saffron per year, yet they export around 50 tons…
Chef Ethan Frisch, Co-founder of Burlap & Barrel, breaks down exactly what saffron is, and shares some truths about the industry. Where does saffron come from? How do you tell if it’s legit? What are its culinary applications? Ethan answers these questions and more in his discussion on the podcast.
“Honey is one of the most beautiful materials to work with…and think of the fact that honey is quite literally the nectar of flower blossoms that has been harvested by honey bees”
Imagine the nectar of flower made into honey and then made into something akin to a fine Champagne. In the idyllic Northern California town of Point Reyes Station, that’s exactly what Gordon Hull is making. Gordon has been making this singular and unique product for almost 20 years. Learn about this incredible drink, a Méthode champenoise mead. Gordon also explains to us the role of bees in our ecology and why it matters to the way of life for the entire world.
