On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Bruce Weinstein, food writer and author of 40 books, 38 of which are cookbooks. His latest, written with husband and frequent collaborator Mark Scarbrough, is “Cold Canning: The Easy Way to Preserve the Seasons Without Hot Water Processing.”

“Cold Canning” offers a primer on easy, safe, budget-friendly preservation. The book has 425 recipes for small-batch jams, jellies, chili crisps, pickles, krauts, kimchis, and more that will safely keep for months to years in the refrigerator or - with the exception of pickle-like foods - in the freezer.

“One of the things that I love about doing this small batch and no processing is that I can use less sugar because I'm not trying to make it shelf stable,” Weinstein explains. “That's a huge difference in taste and in health.”

“Do I think that we should all take all the sugar out of our diet? No, because then life would not be enjoyable at all,” he continues. “Everything in moderation.”

The duo met after Weinstein completed his first book (“We both loved food and we both loved to cook,” he says.) They both had other careers before diving into the food space. Weinstein went to culinary school and then worked in advertising for 20 years before becoming a food writer. Scarbrough was an English professor; he still teaches literature.

Weinstein’s eating philosophy: cook, share food, enjoy.

“Eat real ingredients. … It'll make you feel better,” he says. “[You’ll be] easy to get along with and people will like you.”

Bruce Weinstein shares what led to his love of cooking, his professional journey, and his favorite Jewish foods. He also talks about the joy and ease of cold canning, some of his early cookbooks and two non-cookbooks, and his recipe for blackberry conserve, which you can get at JewishJournal.com/podcasts.

Learn more about at CookingwithBruceandMark.com. Follow @CookingwithBruceandMark on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok, and @CookingWithBruceMark on YouTube.

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On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Jennifer Stempel, recipe developer, cooking instructor, and author of “With a Needle and Thread: A Jewish Folktale from Cuba,” a children’s book that will be out in October.

A classically trained storyteller and writer, Stempel frequently taps into her mixed Cuban and Jewish heritage to weave tales that engage, inspire, and enlighten.

“With a Needle and Thread” is about a grandmother and granddaughter - and how a piece of clothing transforms through lifecycle events. It puts a lens on the small Jewish community - the island of Santiago de Cuba, where Stempel’s family is from - and the unique ability they have to “MacGyver” life.

“Whenever they are faced with a situation, where they don't have what they need to accomplish whatever goal, they figure it out” Stempel explains. “They use what they have, they are really resourceful [and] inventive.”

In Spanish, it’s called “lo que sea.”

“This story showcases those qualities in a very Jewish way,” Stempel says.

This MacGyvering translates to the kitchen, as well as to other aspects of life. And while food is not a main focus, there is food in the book.

“It would not be a book that I write if there isn't at least a little bit of food,” she says. “Food is very much a passion of mine - it always has been - and I find that it is the great uniter."

Stempel is also founder of The Cuban Reuben blog.

“When I first started it, the emphasis on the posts really were showcasing how - not just in my. Identity, but also in the food that I eat - do these two cultures sort of meld as one?” she explains. ”So the Cuban sandwich and a Ruben sandwich to me were like the Cuban side and the Jewish side coming together … my first post was the Cuban Reuben sandwich, which combined [both].”

While the blog is not currently active, there are plenty of delicious recipes, including one for guava and cheese pastry, which you can find at JewishJournal.com.

Jennifer Stempel talks about lo que sea and “With a Needle and Thread,” her love of food, and how she embraces her Jewish and Cuban heritage. She also shares some of her favorite recipes and how she MacGyvers in the kitchen to make meals from what she has on hand.

Learn more about Jennifer Stempel at JenniferStempel.com, get more recipes at thecubanreuben.com, and follow @TheCubanReuben on Instagram.

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On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Jeremy Kneller Hernandez, owner of Kneller’s Delicatessen & Appetizing in Tucson, Arizona.

“[A good deli] is like a barbershop with food; everyone knows each other by name and it's just cozy,” Hernandez says. “When I have people in the deli here, who are literally hanging out all day eating breakfast and lunch and talking to people … it warms my heart.”

Hernandez - whose father is Hispanic and from East LA; his mom is Jewish from Queens - would spend summers with his grandparents in New York, where family gatherings were never missed and his bubbe's cooking was non-stop in the kitchen.

“The aroma of brisket, kugel, rugelach, and schmaltz - so much schmaltz - would fill the air with a sense of warmth and a lot of love,” he says. “My grandpa and I would hit a delicatessen almost every morning before Oyster Bay for a day of fishing or the Shea Stadium for a Mets’ game.”

After working in the world of food since age 15 - and feeling as if the deli was a second home - it was finally time for him to open his own place. He wanted to bring the deli vibe to the desert.

Jeremy Kneller Hernandez shares his love of deli, his dual-cultural upbringing (“ I'm very grateful to have had both experiences,” he says.), and the role of music in his life and in the kitchen. He talks about some of the ways he “spices up” traditional deli food and his take on his great aunt’s knish recipe, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts.

“There's something about the flow of making knish,” he says. “It's a beautiful melody that comes together with just perfect timing; it's fun to make and it's really fun to master.”

Learn more about Jeremy Kneller Hernandez and Kneller’s Delicatessen & Appetizing at knellersdelicatessen.com and follow @knellersdelicatessen on Instagram and Facebook.

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On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Natalie Kalmar, the creator behind FitnessFoodieSTL, a resource that empowers women and families to live well without the pressure of perfection.

“ There are so many ways that you can move your body, whether it's dance fitness, playing a sport, [or] walking your dog,” she explains. “All of that counts; all of that is movement.”

Through her blog, social media, and local collaborations, Natalie shares approachable ways to stay active, enjoy great food, and make the most of life. While she is based in St. Louis, there are plenty of practical tips and delicious recipes that everyone can learn from and enjoy.

“Food is something that you should enjoy,” she says. "Always remember that you do deserve it.”

Natalie Kalmar shares how she became Fitness Foodie STL, why group exercise is so valuable, and her personal food connections, including some Jewish food memories. She also shares her recipe for Gooey Butter Cake, which you can find below.

Learn more about Natalie at fitnessfoodiestl.com. And follow @fitnessfoodiestl on Instagram and Facebook.

For more from Taste Buds, subscribe on iTunes and YouTube, and follow @TheDEBMethod on social media. Go to JewishJournal.com/podcasts to read the articles and get recipes.

On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Peter Shankman, entrepreneur, speaker, best-selling author, and founder of Source of Sources. A Jewish single dad, Shankman became an amateur chef, because he loves cooking with his 12-year-old daughter.

“I used to think [cooking] was just about creating food that I enjoyed, and then I had a kid and I realized the bar is actually not so much food you enjoy, but food they'll enjoy,” explains Shankman, who was born, raised, and lives in New York. “To create a meal that she actually likes and that we sit and eat together after having cooked together is a lot of fun.”

Shankman said his interest in cooking happened both after becoming a parent and also after really understanding his ADHD.

“When you're ADHD it's much easier to order takeout and to have food delivered,” he says. “You want to set good habits for your kids … so you learn that maybe ordering in every night is not the best way to do things.”

Shankman says that having ADHD gives him a more experimental mindset, when it comes to cooking. He’ll be at the store, spot an ingredient and start thinking about different things he can make with it.

“You get to create these ideas [for meals], and if they work great, if they don't, life goes on,” he explains. “But either way, it's a lot of fun.”

Peter Shankman talks about some of his favorite single Dad cooking recommendations (“one day a week should be a cheat or comfort food”) and recipes, including his easy crockpot chicken, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts. He also shares anecdotes, including ones with his daughter, his grandmother, and how competing as an ironman triathlete led to joining an Orthodox Jewish swimming club, complete with tailgate breakfast.

Learn more about Peter Shankman at Shankman.com, follow @PeterShankman and his adventures on Instagram, Threads and LinkedIn. And reach out peter@shankman.com.

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On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Georgia Freedman, author of “Snacking Dinners: 50+ Recipes for Low-Lift, High-Reward Dinners That Delight.”

“We put a lot of pressure on dinner,” Freedman explains.

You need a protein, a starch, and at least one kind of vegetable - five if you are in California. Plus, it’s an important part of family life. It’s a time to connect with your partner and talk to your kids.

“And all of this [cooking and bonding] happens when everybody is completely exhausted,” she explains.

When you reframe the idea - that dinner has to be everything - you can trade it in for a fun, family dining experience that’s full of whimsy.

“A lot of the recipes that I created for [“Snacking Dinners”] are either snacks that are from my childhood - or other people's childhoods - that have been bulked up a little bit to make it more meal-like,” she said. “Or foods that I really love that I made into finger foods [or] snackable foods.”

Freedman talks about her early food memories, career journey, and how “Snacking Dinners” is different from her previous projects. She also shares her love of produce/salads, lots of snackable food prep tips, and her recipe for hummus topped with spiced nuts, olives, and raisins, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts.

“All the recipes in this book, except for the prep ahead chapter, take 5 to 20 minutes,” Freedman explains. “Having that in your back pocket is a really nice way to let the pressure off on the nights when things don't go well, and turn dinner into something that's more relaxing and fun.”

Subscribe to Georgia Freedman’s Substack at SnackingDinners.com.

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On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with Jewish romance author Jean Meltzer, founder of Jewish Joy Inc, which includes the Jewish Joy Book Club and the Jewish Joy Box.

Last week, Meltzer announced the inaugural Jewish Joy Con. The three-day cultural convention, set for March 13 to 15, 2026, in Fort Lauderdale, will celebrate Jewish pop culture, storytelling and creativity through the lens of joy.

“This is a time right now where we need joy, especially Jewish joy,” she explains. “I just thought, ‘Let's get together and throw ComicCon meets Jewish summer camp.”

A romance author by trade, Meltzer has long been an advocate of joy. She says romance authors only have one rule in their books: “Your story must have a happy ending.”

While a lot of Jewish stories are focused on trauma - and rightly so - Meltzer tries to center her stories on happier moments. She has been chronically ill since age 18, so holding onto joy has helped her get through the most challenging moments.

To bring more joy into your life, Meltzer suggests taking a few seconds every day to be present, doing something you love; recognize the beautiful moments. It could be playing with your children, walking your dog or seeing someone you love laughing.

“And if it can be Jewish, even better, but it doesn't have to be,” Meltzer explains. “Joy is what will connect you to your universe.”

Jean Meltzer talks about Jewish Joy Con, more ways to bring joy into your life, and the importance of remembering to “stop and smell the rosemary.” She also shares some early food memories and tips for cooking “easy gourmet,” as she does, as well as her recipe for lamb kofta, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts.

Follow @JeanMeltzer on Instagram and Threads and JeanMeltzerAuthor on Facebook. Check out JeanMeltzer.com, Jewish-Joy.com and TheJewishJoyCon.com

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On this episode of Taste Buds with Deb, host Debra Eckerling speaks with performance chef Aaron Clayton. Performance chefs are those who prepare nutritionally focused meals for athletes.

“We're there to make sure that they're able to perform on the field, the court, wherever it may be,” Clayton says.

When asked what regular people can do to eat healthier, Clayton says the easiest thing is to drink more water and cut out as much sugar from your diet as possible. Other ideas include looking for in-season produce, eating at consistent times, and not eating dinner right before bedtime.

Also, try to block off time to cook, so you remain connected to your cooking. The food will even taste better.

“If you're smelling the food throughout the process, if you're hearing the noises that it makes when you put it in the pan; these things are important,” he says. “Pay attention to these details; do not be distracted by your phone or [anything else]; try to make that time and space in the kitchen protected and sacred.”

Experimenting in the kitchen is also great for your mind, body, and soul.

“Anytime someone asks me what my favorite thing to cook is, I say, ‘Something new,’” Chef Clayton explains. “The process of learning helps you grow and develop so much, especially in the kitchen.”

Chef Aaron Clayton talks about his cooking origin story - and how he ended up on this career path, some of his favorite Jewish foods, and how he shares his heritage with some of his athletes. He also shares tips for “performance cooking,” details about the Athlete Meal Plan philanthropy, and his recipe for Mexican Fire-Roasted Shakshuka, which you can find at JewishJournal.com/podcasts.

Check out PerformanceChefs.org and AthleteMealPlan.org. Follow @chefaaronius @PerformanceChefs and @AthleteMealPlan on Instagram.

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