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    Processing

    This unique podcast explores the intersection of food and grief. Mother-daughter cohosts Bobbie Comforto and Zahra Tangorra are joined by a special guest who shares their personal experience with loss, grief, and heartbreak, and how food factored into their journey. Bobbie has worked as a psychotherapist specializing in bereavement and trauma for over 30 years, but before entering the world of grief counseling Bobbie was a culinary entrepreneur. Zahra Tangorra is a Brooklyn-based chef and restaurant consultant. They share a deep love of food and a personal understanding of its connection to grief. Change and loss are inevitable in all our lives. The relationships that we as humans have surrounding food and loss are universal and relatable across different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles. It is our individual adaptation to the things we cannot control that makes us unique. Processing exposes and digests these commonalities and differences in each episode. Change and loss are inevitable in all our lives. The relationships that we as humans have surrounding food and loss are universal and relatable across different cultures, beliefs, and lifestyles. It is our individual adaptation to the things we cannot control that makes us unique. Processing will expose and digest these commonalities and differences in each episode.
    en105 Episodes

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    Episodes (105)

    Ava Truckey- "Swiss Cake Rolls"

    Ava Truckey- "Swiss Cake Rolls"

    This week we are privileged to welcome cook and writer Ava Truckey. Ava joins us to talk about the 2013 death of her mother, just two days before her 25th birthday. We discuss grief, cooking as a way of managing emotional pain, the writing process, and why Taco Bell is the best fast food on earth. We loved our time with Ava and we know you will too. Please follow her work @avatruckey on Instagram and Twitter, and her substack https://avatruckey.substack.com/. Thank you Ava, we love you!

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Laura Davis- "Brisket"

    Laura Davis- "Brisket"

    Hello friends! We are back with a very special episode! This week we welcome Laura Davis. Laura the author of seven non-fiction books, including The Courage to Heal, Becoming the Parent You Want to Be, and I Thought We'd Never Speak Again. Her groundbreaking books have been translated into 11 languages and have sold more than 1.8 million copies. 

    In her new book, The Burning Light of Two Star, Laura examines the endurance of mother-daughter love, how memory protects and betrays us, and the determination it takes to fulfill a promise when ghosts from the past come knocking. 

    Laura teaches writing online, in person, and in domestic and international retreats, and you can find information on how to be a part of these on her website, www.lauradavis.net

    Laura is a beautiful writer who has helped so many people with her work, and it was an absolute honor to have her on our show! Thank you Laura 
     

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    Alexis Arvidson-Needham- “Inheritance Potatoes”

    Alexis Arvidson-Needham- “Inheritance Potatoes”

    This week we have the distinct pleasure of speaking with Zahra’s long time best friend, Alexis Arvidson-Needham. Alexis is an Acupuncturist and practitioner of Eastern and Western Herbal Medicine. She joins us to talk about a very complicated and very common type of grief: ambiguous grief. Alexis shares about her strained relationship with her father, and how though he is alive, she deeply feels the grief of a life with him being largely absent from her life. This was a really deep and touching conversation, and something that many of us can relate to, and a new way to recognize grief in our own lives and those we love. Thank you to Alexis for her time and vulnerability ❤️

     

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    Erica Hill- “Apple Slices & Cheese”

    Erica Hill- “Apple Slices & Cheese”

    On this week's show we have the absolute pleasure of speaking with Erica Hill. Erica is the owner of Sparrow Funeral Home in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She joins us to discuss her vision and goals with Sparrow, as well as her own personal and profound experiences with grief. We loved our time with Erica, and we hope you enjoy this very special conversation.

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Luka Romonova- "Pelmeni"

    Luka Romonova- "Pelmeni"

    On this week's very special episode we welcome Artist, Bartender, and Pay It Forward Charleston grant recipient, Luka Romonova. Pay It Forward Charleston provides relief in the form of grants to Charleston's food and beverage community.  Luka shares their experience with Pay It Forward, as well as their experiences with the intersection of food and grief. Their story is so touching and inspiring, and we were deeply honored to have them join us for this beautiful episode. 

    Please check out Pay It Forward Charleston, and help support this amazing cause. 

    Pay It Forward Charleston began as a collaboration between farmers, restaurants, and community members who united in an effort to feed food and beverage workers during the COVID-19 crisis.

    With every $10 donated, a Charleston community member received a grocery bag filled with goods purchased at a discounted rate from local farms. The donations created income for farmers who were impacted by restaurant closures in the wake of COVID-19 and provided fresh produce to community members who were out of work.

    In all, Pay It Forward raised $100,000 and delivered over 11,000 bags of groceries to the food and beverage community from March - September of 2020, working in collaboration with Feed the Need Charleston. Riding a wave of community support, the program was expanded to serve three area shelters before it was wrapped up that fall.

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    Listener Letter

    Listener Letter

    This week we read a beautiful listener letter from Lori, who shares with us some complicated feelings regarding travel and celebration after the passing of her husband, Lou. Thank you, Lori, for sharing this letter with us ❤️

    HRN is home to transformative exchanges about food. Our 35+ member-supported food podcasts empower eaters to cultivate a radically better world. This month, we’re asking you to join us. Become a monthly sustaining member at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.

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    Let’s Talk About Life

    Let’s Talk About Life

    Hello sweet friends. We have missed you so! This week we are back to talk about the goings on in the world, what we’ve been up to, and how we’ve been handling it all. And we want to hear from you and how you’ve been handing it all too. Please drop us a line at processing@heritageradionetwork.org , or on our IG @processing_podcast if you want to share your story with us ❤️

     

    HRN is home to transformative exchanges about food. Our 35+ member-supported food podcasts empower eaters to cultivate a radically better world. This month, we’re asking you to join us. Become a monthly sustaining member at heritageradionetwork.org/donate.

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Risa Morimoto- "You Are My Sunshine"

    Risa Morimoto- "You Are My Sunshine"

    A special re-broadcast while we are away! On today's show we are joined by film Director and Producer, Risa Morimoto. Risa is also the founder and CEO of "Modern Aging," a foundation that focuses on innovative and holistic approaches and solutions to aging and caregiving. Risa's family also owns The Kura Barn, a homestyle Japanese restaurant in our hometown of Huntington, NY. Our talk with Risa was amazing, and culminated in us all singing and crying together. Please note this episode was recorded before the Coronavirus crisis. We truly hope you are all finding ways to cope with this incredibly difficult time. Please reach out to us at processing@heritageradionetwork.org for emotional support, or if you have a listener letter or story you would like to share.

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Ellen, Dan & Clare Driscoll- "Soft Shell Crabs, Caesar Salad & Spaghetti Sundays"

    Ellen, Dan & Clare Driscoll- "Soft Shell Crabs, Caesar Salad & Spaghetti Sundays"

    A very special re-broadcast while we are away. On today’s show we are honored to welcome the Driscoll family. Ellen and Dan are brother and sister, and Clare is Dan’s daughter and Ellen’s niece. Dan and Ellen both lost their wives to cancer, and Clare, her mother, and they talk candidly about this experience, and how they have found ways to cope since losing their beloveds. What a beautiful and emotional episode this was, one that left us with so much to think about. Thank you so much Ellen, Dan and Clare for sharing this, it was so moving to speak with you all❤️

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    "Monica O'Connell"- Rum Cake

    "Monica O'Connell"- Rum Cake

    A special re-broadcast while we're away! This week we are joined by Cake Designer, Baker and Writer, Monica O'Connell. Monica earned a Ph.D. in ethnomusicology from New York University, and was executive director of the Center for Black Music Research at Columbia College in Chicago for eight years. She then pivoted in her professional life,and began to pursue her passion and creative calling as a Cake Baker and Designer. Monica has a deeply spiritual relationship with food, from the stunning cakes that she creates in her business, Curtis & Cake (@curtisandcake), to the foods she prepares in her personal life, to the nostalgia for the foods of her youth. She shares with us the different types of loss and grief that she has been dealing with this past year, including the very painful loss of her mother, and the non stop violence toward and murder of Black people in America. This was a deep and also very tender conversation, and we we’re so grateful to Monica for her generosity in sharing her experiences and emotions with us. Please check out Monica's breathtaking cakes on her Instagram page, @curtisandcake

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    Tovah Shanok - “Duck Noodles”

    Tovah Shanok - “Duck Noodles”

    A special re-broadcast while we're away! Today is a special day, folks, as we welcome our sweet friend Tovah Shanok. Tovah joins us from her home in Germany to talk about the many different grief experiences she had endured over the past decade-plus. Tovah is a remarkable and very accomplished chef, and it was incredible to hear her talk about trying to grapple with loss while also working in kitchens. Her experiences at the intersection of food and grief are incredibly prolific, and it was an honor to have her join us. Please enjoy our lovely talk with Tovah.

     If you like the show, please rate/ review/ subscribe. Want to join us for an episode? Direct message us on Instagram @processing_podcast or email us at processing@heritageradionetwork.org

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    Diane Zinna- “Celery, Cream Cheese, Olives & Paprika”

    Diane Zinna- “Celery, Cream Cheese, Olives & Paprika”

    This week we have the honor of welcoming author and teacher Diane Zinna. Diane is the author of THE ALL-NIGHT SUN (Random House, 2020) which was longlisted for The Center for Fiction’s First Novel Prize and the Cabell First Novelist Award. She also teaches a Grief Writing Sundays workshop, which we highly recommend for anyone interested in grief writing.  Diane joins us to discuss the loss of her beloved mother, and how this tragic loss has impacted her personally and professionally. It was incredibly touching and insightful to speak with Diane. She’s a beautiful writer and person, and we got so much from our talk with her, and we know you will too.

    We are on vacation until 6/4/22. Take care of yourselves and each other, and we can’t wait to be with you all again in June ❤️❤️

     

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    Serena Liguori- "Shrimp Ceviche"

    Serena Liguori- "Shrimp Ceviche"

    Hello sweet friends. This week we bring you an episode from 2020. We have the honor of speaking with Serena Liguori, the Executive Director of New Hour For Women and Children. New Hour was founded on Long Island to provide meaningful support to current and formerly incarcerated women, their children, and their families. They build community to promote successful reentry and lasting reintegration, and to reform unjust criminal justice system policies. They empower directly impacted people to use their experiences to affect change in the carceral system. Serena joins us to talk about her own experience in the carceral system, her most profound food memories from prison, and the incredibly impactful work she has done for the community since her release. We were floored by this chat, and hope that Serena's experience and insight can help shed some much-needed light on the failings and injustices in the carceral system in this country. We are deeply grateful to her for her time and wisdom. Please enjoy our talk with her. You can follow the amazing work that is being done at New Hour by checking out their website at newhourli.org or on Instagram @newhourforwomen

    Are you a business owner? Become an HRN business member! For $500 HRN will shine a light on your work AND you will help sustain our mission to expand the way people think about food. As a thank you for this tax-deductible donation, your business will receive on-air mentions, social media posts, listings on our website and more. Go to heritageradionetwork.org/biz to become a business member today. 

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Bhavani Jaroff- “100 Turkeys”

    Bhavani Jaroff- “100 Turkeys”

    On this week's show, we are joined by Bhavani Jaroff. Bhavani is a Natural Foods Chef, Educator, Farm to School Coordinator, Radio Host, and Food Activist. She has over thirty years of experience cooking healthy, fresh, organic food. Bhavani also lost both her parents within a close time frame, and we unpack that experience, and how her relationship with food and cooking helped her on her grief journey ❤️

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Beth Kaiserman- "Brown Mustard"

    Beth Kaiserman- "Brown Mustard"

    On this week's show, we welcome Beth Kaiserman. Beth is a writer with some incredibly unique and rich food memories. In  2019, Beth's father, Earl, was diagnosed with dementia. She joins us to discuss what life has been like since his diagnosis, and the realities of accepting the realities of losing a loved one to this disease. We discussed caregiver stress, which can be so incredibly difficult and overwhelming for those experiencing it, and we were glad to have the opportunity to talk about it with her. We had such a sweet talk with Beth, and are so grateful for her contribution to this important conversation.

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    The Tasks of Grief

    The Tasks of Grief

    This week we discuss the tasks of grief and how they factor into the ever-winding grief journey, and where food plays a role. It was a very interesting and enlightening conversation, and we hope it is helpful for anyone who is navigating their own relationship with grief. 

    Heritage Radio Network is a listener supported nonprofit podcast network. Support Processing by becoming a member!

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    Adam Isserlis- “Ketchup”

    Adam Isserlis- “Ketchup”

    On this week's show, we are joined by the wonderful and warm Adam Isserlis. Adam joins us to talk about the multiple losses that he has experienced in his life, how he has come to understand them, and his relationship with grief. This was such a special episode, and we found ourselves laughing, crying, and learning. It was a profound conversation, and we are grateful to Adam for having it with us. 

     

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    Bobbie & Z- “Pizza Rustica”

    Bobbie & Z- “Pizza Rustica”

    Hello friends, we’ve missed you! On this week's welcome back episode, we talk with each other about a man whose love for food and cooking was truly incomparable. On the four-year anniversary of Zahra’s dad's passing, we wanted to take the time to remember this wildly creative and complicated human, and all of the rich food memories that we both have of him. It was cathartic to have this conversation at this time, and we enjoy our first episode back from winter break. We missed you, we love you, and it’s great to be back.

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    Tim Donnelly- "The Boardwalk"

    Tim Donnelly- "The Boardwalk"

    On this week's show, we welcome writer Tim Donnelly. Tim joins us for a deep and interesting conversation about the loss of his father, change, and finding the place where he felt like he truly belonged. We really enjoyed our time with Tim, and his insights into grief were unique and profound. 

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