The Table Underground

Bryant Terry, Vegetable Kingdom (from the Archives)

Tagan Engel — Tue, 05 May 2026 06:00:00 -0400

Chef, activist, artist and author Bryant Terry on his 5th book, Vegetable Kingdom - cooking for his kids - uplifting Black and Asian food traditions - and collective actions to transform our "messed up food system". A show from our archives, first aired in 2020.

Thanks to the Yale Sustainable Food Program and the Yale Afro-American Cultural Center for their partnership on this episode. Music credit: "Sprout That Life" by DJ Cavem. Check out our full post at www.thetableunderground.com from 2024 with photos and lots more info. To learn more about Bryant Terry and what he's been up to since 2020, go to: https://www.bryant-terry.com/

The Table Underground airs on WPKN 89.5fm community radio in Bridgeport, CT at 6pm EST, on the first Tuesday of every month, and by podcast or on our website anytime. Our theme song is by The Passion Hifi. Please follow our podcast or leave a review to help others find us. Thanks for listening!

Oysters & Ocean Restoration w/ CORR Shell Recycling & Leetes Island Oysters

Tagan Engel — Tue, 07 Apr 2026 16:05:27 -0400

Tim Macklin & Todd Koehnke of CORR: Collective Oyster Recycling and Restoration and Kim Granbery a wild oyster farmer and owner of Leetes Island Oysters share about their work to return oysters to Long Island Sound. This farming and stewardship work helps to rebuild habitat, filter water, prevent erosion, and cultivate biodiversity as well as a love of oysters and our ocean and water ways. Find more info on this episode and many others at www.TheTableUnderground.com.

The Table Underground airs on WPKN 89.5fm community radio in Bridgeport, CT. Please click "follow" to support our show and leave a review if you like what you hear!

Our theme song is by The Passion Hifi. All photos are courtesy of CORR, Leetes Island Oysters, and Tagan Engel.

Uplifting Tunisian Olive Oil w/ Soraya Hosni

Tagan Engel — Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:36:22 -0500

Soraya Hosni is a French-Tunisian social entrepreneur, olive oil sommelier, farmer and environmental anthropologist. She speaks 8 languages and is as comfortable talking with North African olive farmers as she is with global leaders. Her innovative work to address systemic challenges and inequities in the olive oil supply chain led her to develop cultural, technical and economic solutions that benefit both farmers and the earth they farm on. Tunisia is one of the world's largest producers of olive oil, yet most of it gets mixed with oil from Spain and other countries and sold under labels with an Italian sounding name. Olive trees in Tunisia are hundreds and sometimes thousands of years old, drought resistant, and typically raised free of chemicals. Soraya shares about the many creative ways she has worked to uplift Tunisian olive oil to help return profits to farmers and preserve these heritage farming practices.

As with most social entrepreneurs, Soraya’s creativity and projects surpass the confines of one sector and one conversation. To learn more about the full breadth of her work check out The New Medina, a cultural heritage center she founded in Tunisia and @thenewmedina on Instagram. Clever Harvest is the agriculture tech company and system she started to help farmers coordinate their harvest, milling, and aggregation. Visit our website for photos and more links to her amazing work and many past shows at www.thetableunderground.com.

The Table Underground airs on WPKN community radio, 89.5fm in Bridgeport, CT, and by podcast any where and any time. Our theme song is by the Passion Hifi.

Growing Mushrooms w/ Hood Farmer Rob

Tagan Engel — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 06:00:00 -0500

Rob Peck, aka Hood Farmer Rob is a Black urban farmer, mushroom grower and educator based in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His love of fungi has led him from cooking up mushrooms to foraging in parks and the forest, to growing mushrooms - both indoors and out - and now, into the Lab to grow his own spawn. Through his business Hemp Milk & Honey, Hood Farmer Rob is focused on growing food and farmers for the future. One of the ways he’s doing this is through leading mushroom cultivation workshops for networks of Black, Brown and Indigenous growers.

For more info, photos and links from this episode, go to www.thetableunderground.com. Follow Rob's work at @hoodfarmerrob and through his business @hempmilkhoney both on Instagram. And check out this sweet article about him from CT Farmland Trust.

The Table Underground is produced and hosted by Tagan Engel. It airs on the first Tuesday of each month on WPKN 89.5fm community radio in Bridgeport, CT and by podcast and streaming whenever and wherever you get your podcasts. Our theme song is by the Passion Hifi.

Family Edition

Tagan Engel — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 16:42:40 -0500

For our first show of 2026 - go behind the scenes with our Host Tagan Engel's family, her partner Enroue Onigbonna Halfkenny and children Tomitsela and Ayo Engel-Halfkenny. They talk about the themes of this show: food, radical love and creative social justice which are also pretty big themes in their family. Hear from these parents and teen/young adults in this progressive family who are muli-racial (Black, Ashkenazi, White - including Irish and Swedish, and Indigenous - Miq’Mac and Saponi) and also mulit-faith practicing both in Judaism and the Yoruba Tradition. They dig in about the food they love, their varried experiences, and the ways they engage in family, community and social justice work in the world. At this pivotal moment, where their son Ayo turned 21 this year and is in college, their daughter Tomitsela will be leaving for college in the fall, as well as in this moment of much political and social upheaval, it seemed like a special time to capture these reflections and a great way to start the new year.

To find links to many of the things discussed in this episode go to www.thetableunderground.com.

This episode was edited by Tagan Engel, and our theme music is by The Passion Hifi. We air on WKPN 89.5 Community Radio in Bridgeport, CT on the first Tuesday of each month at 6pm eastern.

Loving Soybeans w/ Chef & Farmer Ria Ibrahim

Tagan Engel — Mon, 01 Dec 2025 07:00:00 -0500

Indonesian Chef and Farmer Ria Ibrahim shares on building loving relationship with soybeans through a multitude of methods to preserve and enjoy these sacred beans including as miso, tofu, and soy milk. As Farm to Table Director at Soul Fire Farm Ria brings deep cultural connections, love and spirit into her work to preserve the harvest for community, cook for programs, and teach cooking and foraging. She also speaks on her journey to learn plants and fungus in a new land and passing on this love and knowledge to her daughter. You can follow Ria at @kitchenmagician on Instagram and get notices about future workshops and soooo much more by signing up for the Soul Fire Farm newsletter. Go to www.thetableunderground.com to see photos and recipes for this and many past shows.

Healing Through Corn Rematriation w/ Lauren Sun Turtle Peters

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Lauren “Sun Turtle” Peters is a Mashpee Wampanoag seed keeper carrying on in the traditions she learned from her clan mother Anita “Mother Bear“ Peters. In 2021 Lauren helped to return the King Phillips variety of corn, also known as Metacom corn, to be grown on her people’s land for the first time in 300 years. Soon after, she founded Corn Sister Circle, a project powered by her love for her community and desire to connect Wampanoag peoples across generations to heal from colonialism and racism with each other through tending land and traditional food ways.

For photos and links about things mentioned in this interview as well as many past episodes go to www.thetableunderground.com. You can also read Lauren's article Corn Sister Circle: Honoring Our Ancestors, Grounded on Our Ancestral Homelands where she writes beautifully about the complexity of this work and journey including the apology from the American Psychological Association to First Peoples in the US. To donate to support Corn Sister Circle and other work that Lauren is leading click here. You can also follow their work and see videos via their Instagram @wampumconsulting.

Much gratitude and love to Lauren Peters for sharing her story and for doing this vital work. Many thanks to the talented Meg Dalton for editing this episode. Our theme music is from the Passion Hifi. All episodes are produced and hosted by Tagan Engel. The Table Underground is available on any podcasting site, through our website and now airs on the first Tuesday of the month on WPKN community radio 89.5fm in Bridgeport, CT.

A Career Transforming Women's Health Care w/ Dr. Mitch Levine

Tagan Engel — Mon, 22 Sep 2025 08:00:00 -0400

Most of the stories on this show are connected to food in some way - but as our byline says we also talk about radical love and creative social justice, and today’s show uplifts a beautiful example of both of these principles.

Mitch Levine is an OBGYN doctor based in the Boston area who has been helping to transform his profession towards women-centered holistic care for over 40 years. Starting from a place of respecting women’s bodies and wishes, he demonstrated that it was possible to support births and surgeries in ways that were previously unheard of in 1980’s western medical practices. He learned from and partnered with midwives and spread new techniques to residents and other doctors inside hospitals one birth or surgery at a time. This approach has contributed to changing what is considered standard practice for procedures such as births after c-section and removing fibroids - a major win for women’s health.

Our host Tagan Engel has known Mitch for nearly 45 years, since she was a little kid, through a cooperative summer dance community they were both part of. She always knew he was a well respected women’s health doctor, but hadn’t talked with him about it… this summer was different. Mitch is dancing his way through terminal and painful late stage cancer, and Tagan was amazed at his vibrancy and joy even in the face of death. She made more time to sit and listen as he shared one amazing story after another about the groundbreaking work he has done to support and transform women’s healthcare. It was an honor that he made time to document these stories and we hope you enjoy hearing them as much as we did.

Thanks to Meg Dalton for editing the interview and to the Passion Hifi for our theme song! The Table Underground airs on WPKN community radio 89.5fm in Bridgeport, CT the 4th Wednesday of every month at noon, and by podcast any time. Find 80+ past episodes, photos, articles, recipes and more at www.thetableunderground.com

From the Archive: Farming While Black + Fever Pitch Pilgrimage

Tagan Engel — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 08:00:00 -0400

First aired in 2019. Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm on her pivotal book Farming While Black, the Afro-Indigenous roots of sustainable agriculture and the work of supporting Black folks and other people of color in finding liberation on land. Plus Taina Asili’s 2025 Fever Pitch Pilgrimage and Song Tour for climate and social action, September 13-27, 2025.

2 Fab Women Food Business Owners

Tagan Engel — Mon, 28 Jul 2025 06:56:28 -0400

Meg Fama of The Farm Belly and Raquel Rivera of A Pinch of Salt are two long-time food business owners showing us what successful women-owned businesses can look like all while supporting local farmers and entrepreneurs. They talk about how and why they do what they do and the evolution of their businesses over the years; The Farm Belly from food truck to caterer to a new restaurant in New Haven, CT, and A Pinch of Salt through cooking experiences, food entrepreneur mentorship and training, plus catering in Bridgeport, CT and beyond. This episode also features the song "No Es Mi Presidente" from Taína Asili y La Banda Rebelde.

The Table Underground airs on WPKN 89.5 fm Community Radio in Bridgeport, CT the 4th Monday of every month, and by podcast any time. You can find more info on this episode, 85+ past interviews, photos, recipes, articles and more at www.thetableunderground.com

Palestinian Beekeepers

Tagan Engel — Thu, 19 Jun 2025 07:35:23 -0400

Mohammed Alqurnah is an agronomist, entomologist and Beekeeper living in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem. Hana' Maaiah is a Farmer and Beekeeper of Jordanian and Palestinian descent based in the upstate, NY. Hana' recently returned from a two month long trip visiting Mohammed and other beekeepers in the West Bank. These two passionate beekeepers share about their love of these beautiful honey producing creatures, the realities of living and keeping bees under Israeli occupation, as well as the impacts of war, genocide and the climate crisis on bees - the pollinators we humans need to survive.

To see photos and more info go to www.thetableunderground.com
This episode was edited by Meg Dalton.
Our theme song is from the Passion Hifi.
The Table Underground airs the 4th Monday of every month at 12pm eastern on WPKN community radio, 89.5 in Bridgeport, CT and is available by podcast anytime.
Many thanks to Combcutters for connecting these two Palestinian Beekeepers, and for your work to uplift beekeepers, bees, their ecosystem and thriving life for all beings. To learn more and support Palestinian farmers and bee keepers check out the Palestinian Union of Agricultural Worker Committees and you can donate to support them here.

Growing and Cooking in Community w/Rootlife & By Brimarie

Tagan Engel — Mon, 26 May 2025 11:36:20 -0400

Growing food in the city is also an opportunity to grow community and healing in more ways than one. Dishaun Harris, aka Farmer D and the founder of Rootlife is a Black urban farmer and filmmaker manifesting the change he wants to see in his community. He stewards 5 community farms around the city of New Haven, CT and collaborates to create programs and events that nourish people’s bodies, minds, and spirits. Briana Mclean, one of Farmer D’s collaborators - is the talented cook behind the culinary business By Bri Marie. With a focus on plant-based ingredients, she cooks up well seasoned dishes at the farm-based classes and as part of her weekly prepared meals and catering services. Briana and Dishaun joined me to talk about food as medicine, community and liberation.

More info at www.thetableunderground.com and check out Rootlife's new documentary: Black, Brown & Green: A Digital Palette Of Agriculture In Elm City (New Haven, CT) and join the Liberated Land Cooperative's CSA - farm share delivery from CT Black and Brown farmers.

Demystifying Food & Land Policy in CT 2025

Tagan Engel — Tue, 01 Apr 2025 17:42:08 -0400

Passionate policy advocates decipher food security and a farmland access bills, both up for a vote in CT this spring & let us know how and why to get involved. Guests include Reggy St. Fortcolin of Fridgeport and the Liberated Land Cooperative, Chelsea Gazillo of Working Lands Alliance and American Farmland Trust, and James Albis of Graff Public Solutions and a former State Representative for District 99.

We discuss the ins and outs of the legislative process plus Bills: SB 1418: An Act Reducing Barriers to Food Security & HB 5064 Is An Act Concerning An Option To Purchase Restricted Agricultural Lands at Agricultural Value which will create a larger land access program at the CT Department of Agriculture. For a simple language breakdown and details on how to get involved in the food security bill, check out this fab link tree - and for regular folk language of the farmland access bill check the Working Lands Alliance 2025 Priorities.

Go to www.thetableunderground.com for more info.
We are happy to broadcast on WPKN community radio, 89.5fm in Bridgeport, CT

Supporting Food Entrepreneurs w/ReSET & CitySeed

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Mon, 03 Mar 2025 18:27:03 -0500

Welcome to the first episode of our 2025 re-launch of The Table Underground: stories of food, radical love and creative social justice! Our guests Cara Santino of CitySeed in New Haven, CT and Katrice Claudio of ReSET in Hartford share the skills and tools they use to support food business start-ups and give them a leg up on their delicious but challenging journeys.

Sandra's Next Generation Soul Food - Telling Their Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:36:00 -0400

A story short with Sandra and Miguel Pittman owners of Sandra's Next Generation Soul Food Restaurant in New Haven, CT. They share on their 32+ year journey as restaurateurs, being pillars in their community, and the family legacy they have fostered.

Story series sponsored by Yale School of the Environment. Photos, slideshow and links at www.thetableunderground.com - Produced by Tagan Engel, Edited by Jon Oliver Music, Photographed by Maza Rey Photography

Oriental Pantry - Telling Their Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:33:00 -0400

A story short with Ms. Kim, owner of the oldest Asian market in New Haven, CT where she's been running this neighborhood institution with her personal touch for cooking and community since 1985.

Lalibela Ethiopian Restaurant - Telling Their Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:32:00 -0400

A story short with husband and wife team Shilmat & Wub Tessema on serving up traditional Ethiopian food and culture at their restaurant since 1999 plus the 24/7 demands of the kitchen and raising a family of three now grown children.

Cositas Deliciosas - Telling Their Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:31:00 -0400

A story short with Cositas Deliciosas owners Miguel Xicohtencatl & Cecilia Serrano - Speaking on their business and personal journey to establish this delicious Mexican fruit, juice, and take-out shop in the Fair Haven neighborhood of New Haven, CT.

Caribbean Style Vegan - Telling Their Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Tue, 14 Sep 2021 06:30:00 -0400

A story short with Elisha Hazel & Qulen Wright, owners of Caribbean Style Vegan restaurant in New Haven, CT. Sharing their passion for serving up life-giving Ital food with local ingredients, and learning the business ropes along the way.

Portabello Latin Food Cart - Telling Their Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Thu, 09 Sep 2021 06:35:00 -0400

A story short with Francisco Mendez and Zenaida Muñoz on their experiences running their much loved food carts together with brother Carlos Mendez. They share on their evolution from cooks to cart owners, the Colombian style arepas they’re famous for, and what it’s like working out in the elements.

Building Power for Change w/ HEAL Food Alliance

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 12 Mar 2021 11:29:00 -0500

Digging into farm and food worker led organizing that’s, multi-sector, multi-racial and has the power to transform our food system by prioritizing people and the planet. With guest Navina Khanna. Episode hosted through the Center for Business and the Environment at Yale.

The Black Farmer Fund & Reparative Investing

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 19 Feb 2021 12:55:00 -0500

Reparations in practice with this emerging investment fund collectively led by Black food ecosystem experts. Guest Melanie Allen, Program Director for the fund speaks on their work to build transformative supports for Black farmers and food entrepreneurs. This interview was hosted through the Center for Business at Yale. For more info go to www.thetableunderground.com

Shining a Light on Hanukkah with May Ye

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 11 Dec 2020 15:00:00 -0500

Digging a little deeper into this Jewish festival of lights with rabbi in training May Ye; Illuminating injustices, sparking change, creating ritual with connections for Jews of Color, her journey and identity from secular Chinese American Jew into the rabbinate, and there's a little food talk too....More info + recipes at www.thetableunderground.com

Youth Leading Protests for Black Lives & Police Abolition

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 26 Jun 2020 12:55:00 -0400

Youth leaders Jeremy Cajigas and Jamila Washington of the Citywide Youth Coalition in New Haven, CT share their perspectives on organizing protests for liberation and black lives; their groups demands for removing police and security guards from schools; divestment from police and investment in Black and Brown lives and communities; Bomba music and dance for resistance and celebrating #BlackJoy, and much more. Editing and Engineering by Jon Oliver Music.

Juneteenth and Black Foodways with Adrian Lipscombe

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 07:22:58 -0400

and the importance of rooting her restaurant in community, which is helping to sustain them through the Covid-19 pandemic.

3 Chefs - 3 Perspectives on the Covid Shutdown

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 15 May 2020 15:35:13 -0400

CT Chefs Avi Sazpiro of Roia Restaurant, Raquel Rivera of A Pinch of Salt Culinary Education & Catering Company, and Aaron Lee of Yale University Dining & Heartfelt Catering speak to the many ways this pandemic is impacting their work and communities. See more at www.thetableunderground.com Produced by Tagan Engel, Edited by Jon Oliver

Our Food in the Time of Quarantine: 3 Perspectives

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 17 Apr 2020 13:21:21 -0400

Insights on the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic from a wholesale produce distributor, an urban farmer / food justice educator, and tips on cooking in quarantine. Hear about massive shifts in the produce industry, mutual aid efforts to get free farm fresh food to families in need, and some recipe-free ways to prep food for the week, including what to do with dry beans, roasting veggies and more. With guests Maria Desarbo of Carbonella & Desarbo’s , Disha Patel of Common Ground High School & Urban Farm , and host Tagan Engel.

The Gefilteria Crew on Passover & Reimagining Ashkenazi Foods

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 12:45:00 -0400

Fab culinary duo Liz Alpern & Jeffery Yoskowitz of The Gefilteria sit down (pre Covid-19 quarantine) to nosh and kibbitz about old family recipes, the wide spectrum of Jewish ethnic cuisines, Asha-normativity, producing tons of great gefilte fish each year, liberation stories, and passover traditions.

Bryant Terry & Vegetable Kingdom

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 13 Mar 2020 11:45:00 -0400

Chef, activist, and author Bryant Terry on his newest plant-based cookbook - cooking for his kids - uplifting Black and Asian food traditions - and collective actions to transform our "messed up food system".

Coquito Season

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 13 Dec 2019 12:45:00 -0500

This homemade coconut milk based cocktail is the pride of the Puerto Rican holiday season. Guests Addys Castillo, and champion coquito maker Aida Casanova talk family recipes, parranda (caroling) traditions, and the complexities and joys of Puerto Rican history and heritage.

Witnesses To Hunger

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 29 Nov 2019 12:55:00 -0500

Three women speak on the realities of hunger and poverty and their inspiring advocacy work through the group Witnesses To Hunger. With guests Susan Harris, Junie Cullum, and Wanda Perez.

The Food Squad Fall Edition 2019 Live

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 01 Nov 2019 13:01:00 -0400

Fall food adventures help heal depression, Chicken & Sweet Potato Dumpling soup, front porch living in the Hood, talking to strangers = fun food finds = dosa making and heirloom apple munching in VT. W/ guests Babz Rawls Ivy, Frankie Douglass, and Chef Stephen Ross.

Teen Entrepreneurs Inspired by Gardens

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 18 Oct 2019 12:55:00 -0400

Giselle Cando & Anajja Stevenson talk about starting their own businesses, working in community gardens, and life as teens in the world today. Feat. the Growing Entrepreneurs Program of the New Haven Land Trust.

Berlin, Reparations, and The Holocaust

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Sun, 06 Oct 2019 11:28:53 -0400

Host Tagan Engel speaks about her recent trip to Berlin to partner with a group doing transformational education work around the Nazi death camp, Sobibor, her Grandparents escaped form in 1943.

Sourdough Geek Out

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 20 Sep 2019 12:50:00 -0400

Atticus Bakery & Bookstore manager Charlie Negaro Jr and baker Josh Kanter talk about their glorious infatuation with sourdough bread making & grain growing - two exceptional new ventures for this 2nd generation establishment in New Haven, CT.

Heartfelt Cooking with Aaron Lee

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 12 Jul 2019 12:45:00 -0400

An inspired chef shares his mission for bringing life giving food into the Black community, his journey from Dishwasher to Sous Chef in Yale University Dining, and the stereotypes he deals with as a young Black Chef.

The Food Squad Does Strawberries

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 28 Jun 2019 12:50:00 -0400

Iroquois Strawberry Drink, Mohegan friendship berries, Sexy Strawberry Vinaigrette, Black food wisdom, Grandma's Jam, the berry pickers boycott, and more! Guests Rachel Sayet, Raquel Pablo Rivera, and Farron Harvey dig in with host Tagan Engel on, culture, race, joy, and liberation through strawberries.

When Women Chefs Run The Kitchen

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 14 Jun 2019 12:55:00 -0400

Ep. 55 When Women Chefs Run The Kitchen

Robin Bodak (co-owner and head chef) and Dignity Maille (cook) at the restaurant Next Door in New Haven, CT talk about their women-centric kitchen culture, outstanding and unpretentious food, Tanzanian hummus, popped sorghum, and salty caramel & ash no-dairy ice cream. We also chat about cultural appropriation vs kitchen creativity, race, and the real challenges of running a restaurant that values both their workers and local farmers.

More info at www.thetableunderground.com

STORYSCAPE

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 31 May 2019 12:55:00 -0400

A collection of short stories on the lives and work of twelve people who explore the landscape of race, change making, education & community around Connecticut. Host Tagan Engel recorded these stories and more as part of a larger multi media project in 2018 to mark the 25th anniversary year of the Graustein Memorial Fund. To learn more go to www.thetableunderground.com

Forest Honey - supporting beekeepers & the environment in Ethiopia

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 17 May 2019 12:55:00 -0400

Entrepreneur Ariana Yuen shares the successes and challenges of starting her new single origin honey business based in the Gera Forest in Ethiopia.

Striving for Reparations: Land, Food, and Self-Determination in the North Philly Peace Park

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 19 Apr 2019 12:55:00 -0400

Brother Tommy Joshua Caison, co-founder and Director of the North Philly Peace Park talks about transformative healing and fence free food forests within this African American community.

Yoruba Orisa Tradition in Practice

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 22 Mar 2019 15:28:31 -0400

Babalawo, Priest of Ifa, and Clinical Social Worker Enroue Halfkenny, Onigbana Sangofemi (and husband of host Tagan Engel ;-) shares an overview of the traditional religion of the Yoruba people, and what it looks like in daily life. He speaks on this indigenous African tradition as a path towards personal and communal healing and a wholistic framework for healing our broken society.

Rebroadcast: Maple Moon, City Tree Tapping & Grits n' Gravy

The Table Underground w/ Tagan Engel — Fri, 08 Mar 2019 11:20:00 -0500

Rebroadcast of a 2017 three part show: Maple Moon Season with Mohegan educator Rachel Sayet - Tapping maple trees and boiling syrup in the city with 8 year old Sam - and Marshal Cruz shares the wild story of how he started cooking and his dreams of opening a Grits ‘n Gravy food truck.

Growing Compost in the City

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 22 Feb 2019 12:55:00 -0500

Entrepreneur Domingo Medina, explains how he’s improving the environment through Peels & Wheels Compost, his bike, solar, and people powered composting business.

A Community of Food Entrepreneurs Grows In Bridgeport with a Pinch Of Salt

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 08 Feb 2019 12:55:00 -0500

Guests from A Pinch of Salt, Dave’s Angry Sauce, and Love Breakfast talk about their passions for food, supporting Black and Brown owned food businesses, and spreading fresh food love in their communities.

The POWER OF SOUP with Sopa! and Soup & Salaam

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 25 Jan 2019 12:50:00 -0500

Guests Eric Rey and Sumiya Khan talk about their two ventures which use soup as a vehicle for sharing culture, building community, and supporting entrepreneurship. Sopa! is a soup subscription company started by Eric and his brother Alejandro to spread love and build their relationship. Soup & Salaam: Creating Community Over Soup and Conversation is part of Sanctuary Kitchen which works with chefs who are refugees in New Haven, CT.

Farming While Black

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 11 Jan 2019 13:00:00 -0500

Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm on her new book Farming While Black, the Afro/Indigenous roots of sustainable agriculture and the work of supporting people of color in finding liberation on land.

Three Fab Food Folks - Live Show

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 14 Dec 2018 14:00:00 -0500

Three enthusiastic New Haven, CT food system change agents share their personal journeys, as well as their visions and practices for transformative change...oh and some fun food stuff too... with Guests Latha Swamy, Genesis Vicente, and Austin Bryniarski

Thanksgiving Resources & Reflections from Mohegan Educator Rachel Sayet

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 16 Nov 2018 10:30:17 -0500

Three indigenous educators talk about giving thanks, true history, native foods and how they handle Thanksgiving each year. AND, check www.thetableunderground.com for a new post by Mohegan educator

Hood Health

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 13:09:21 -0400

Co-Editor of The Hood Health Handbook Alife Allah on health wisdom in Black & Brown communities, systemic change, hip hop as inspiration, playing in the park, and his journey into health justice work..

75th Anniversary of an Uprising: Reflecting on my Grandparent's Escape from Sobibor

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Sat, 27 Oct 2018 09:20:56 -0400

Host Tagan Engel speaks with her husband Enroue Halfkenny, a healer and therapist about her recent trip to Poland to mark the 75th Anniversary of the mass uprising, and her grandparents escape from the Nazi death camp Sobibor.

Fighting for Micro Food Businesses

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 13:21:44 -0400

Pie baker and serial entrepreneur Mubarakah Ibrahim is on a mission to fix local policies to support micro-food businesses like her's. With a step by step conversation on how to start a food business, and being the change you want to see!

4 Teens on Race & Education in Schools

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 07 Sep 2018 12:55:00 -0400

Four New Haven, CT Public School students share their experiences and insights on how race shows up in schools and how it impacts their lives and learning, including: the importance of curriculum that centers people of color, overcoming internalized racism, the need for teachers of color, metal detectors and security guards in schools and so much more.

Pottery Beast - Roberto Lugo

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 27 Jul 2018 14:15:03 -0400

Ceramic artist Rob Lugo speaks on his incredible journey from graffiti to the pottery wheel, the importance of seeing people of color in art, and his inspirations as an Afro-Latino from Kensington, Philly.

Girl Power Books

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 13 Jul 2018 14:29:39 -0400

10 year-old girl, Tomistela Engel-Halfkenny shares her favorite books featuring inspiring girls and women including many black and brown women in HERstory... and how reading them impacts her view of herself.

THE FOOD SQUAD: Summer Food Finds (Live Show) 2018 Update

Tagan Engel — Fri, 29 Jun 2018 12:55:00 -0400

4 fab folks dish their food adventures in CT. An incredible new Ice cream trail with Tagan Engel, vegan soft serve with The Fabulous Babz Rawls Ivy, pow wow foods with Mohegan food expert Rachel Sayet, and Acclaimed Chef Franco Comacho shares his favorite spots to eat with his daughters, french pastry, BBQ and a slammin’ new taco joint.

Caribbean Restaurant Week 2018 | New Haven, CT June 17-23

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 15 Jun 2018 12:55:00 -0400

Guests Kay Holness and Nadine Nelson dig into delicious food from restaurants featured in the first ever New Haven, CT Caribbean Restaurant Week. We talk flavors, culinary history and food as a great connector for overcoming an anti-immigrant climate.

Greg Smith Finds His Way Through Food

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 18 May 2018 00:55:00 -0400

Greg Smith, ConnCAT Culinary Arts grad, talks about finding his purpose and joy in cooking, gardening, and foraging food. He speaks to the impact the job training program had on him as a black man trying to find supports to live a vibrant life and better the community around him. For more info go to: www.thetableunderground.com

Punishment & Racial Bias In Schools: One mom’s story of fighting for her son’s rights and education

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 04 May 2018 12:55:00 -0400

Guest Kia Levey-Burden shares her struggles with a school district punishing her son due to his learning needs and race.

Liberation Cuisine | Cooking in Solidarity with Puerto Rico & Beyond

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 20 Apr 2018 12:55:00 -0400

Chef Gabriela Alvarez of Liberation Cuisine shares her journey into food, cooking for social justice movements and solidarity work in Puerto Rico. Feat music by Taina Asili & La Banda Rebelde. For tons more info go to www.thetableunderground.com

LoveFed & LoveLed

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 12:55:00 -0400

The LoveFed New Haven Duo share inspiring stories about their great grandparents seeding their passion for gardening and their new vision for transforming lives and communities one home garden at a time. Guests Raven Amandla Blake and Dishaun Harris speak on food justice, the importance of working in the Black communities they grew up in, and all the love they have for gardens and food.

Two Jew Girls on Passover, Privilege & Social Justice

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 23 Mar 2018 12:55:00 -0400

A conversation with Tagan Engel and Lucy Gellman of The Kitchen Sync podcast about the importance of telling the passover holiday liberation story and the complications and responsibilities of being a white Jew. Oh and some food talk too...

Transforming Teacher Education for Racial Justice | An Education Project Story

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 09 Mar 2018 12:55:00 -0500

One in a special series of equity in education stories. Guests Dr. Jessica Powell of Southern Connecticut State University, and teachers Tai Olasanoye and Rebecca Harmon discuss anti-racism teacher education as a foundation for equitable classrooms, recruiting teachers of color, the importance of culturally relevant curriculum, and more. Guests share their personal stories about race in schools and talk about the efforts at SCSU to transform teacher education to better address student needs and racial equity in schools.

CTiff Eat

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 23 Feb 2018 12:55:00 -0500

Food lover and instagramer Tiffany Jones (CTiff Eat) talks about her family's fabulous soul food, her favorite restaurants in Bridgeport & CT, colorism and her dreams of what's to come.

Truelove Seeds & Owen Taylor

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 09 Feb 2018 12:55:00 -0500

Geek out on seed keeping, the importance of ancestral seed stories, building vibrant community and undoing racism work with this amazing human and the 20+ farms growing with him at Truelove Seed Co.

The State of Hunger

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 12:55:00 -0500

Three activist/organizers speak on the realities of hunger for people living in New Haven, CT and solutions they are advocating for to end hunger and reduce poverty. Activist Kim Hart shares her personal experience with hunger and emergency food providers, Alycia Santilli of CARE discusses their recent data report "The State of Hunger" and Billy Bromage shares on community organizing efforts to improve access to good food for all in the city. More info, photos and links at www.thetableunderground.com

The Food Squad Goes Oil Crazy for Hanukkah

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 15 Dec 2017 15:04:37 -0500

Puerto Rican empanadas, olive oil tasting, the ultimate latkes, salmon cakes, and a warm chocolate & olive oil dessert! Fab guests Jason Sobocinski, Babz Rawls Ivy and Marshall Dios Cruz! More info at www.thetableunderground.com

Food Entrepreneurs

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 12:58:00 -0500

Joint episode with Kitchen Sync & Lucy Gellman, the table is flipped and host Tagan Engel answers questions together with entrepreneurship collaborators Ony Obiocha and Collab founders Caroline Lee and Margaret Smith. They talk (and laugh) about food business entrepreneurship and community lead economic development. For lots more info go to www.thetableunderground.com

The True History & Foods of Thanksgiving

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 13:14:49 -0500

Three indigenous educators: Chef Sherry Pocknet, Mohegan Rachel Sayet and Jay Levy speak about the many ways native peoples give thanks, the true history of colonists and north eastern indigenous peoples, foods of the Wampanoag, Pequot and Mohegans then and now, and how they each deal with the Thanksgiving holiday every year. For more info, photos, links to events and resources, go to www.thetableunderground.com

Reviving the Original American Cuisine w/ Sean Sherman of The Sioux Chef

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 03 Nov 2017 11:58:00 -0400

Oglala Lakota Chef Sean Sherman speaks on his journey in revitalizing Native American Cuisine through his company The Sioux Chef, a new cookbook, indigenous food hubs, foraging wild ingredients and re-identifying what North American Cuisine is.

New Haven Drag

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 10:37:16 -0400

Drag as art, transformative social change and community building - the reflections of 3 artists. Featuring Daniel Eugene (and his new book #NHVdrag), Luis Antonio and Drag Queen Sylvia Heart.

Black Art Jazz Collective

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 11:58:00 -0400

A two part show. Second half features The Black Art jazz Colective, with All-star band founders Wayne Escoffery and Jeremy Pelt on the importance of celebrating Jazz as Black music, being positive role models and fantastic compositions inspired by African American icons. First Half of show, a story on Water Harvesting.

Water Harvesting

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 06 Oct 2017 11:58:00 -0400

Part #1 Water Harvesting: Julianne Kaphar shares water wisdom as we travel with her to a natural spring where she collects 33 gallons of pure water for her family each month.

Part #2 Black Art Jazz Collective: All-star band founders Wayne Escoffery and Jeremy Pelt on the importance of celebrating Jazz as Black music, being positive role models and fantastic compositions inspired by African American icons. (Starts at minute 20:17)

Radical Business Building at Foodlab Detroit w/ Devita Davison

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Fri, 22 Sep 2017 11:59:00 -0400

Passionate conversation about transforming communities and businesses through radical relationship building at Foodlab Detroit.

Eating Weeds w/Bun Lai of Miya's Sushi

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 08 Sep 2017 12:10:52 -0400

Chef Bun Lai of Miya's Sushi takes us foraging for weeds, talks climate change, gut health and cracks jokes while making sushi in his family's 35+ year old restaurant.

Introducing THE FOOD SQUAD: Summer Food Finds (Live Show)

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 11 Aug 2017 18:19:24 -0400

4 fab folks dish their food adventures in CT. An incredible new Ice cream trail with Tagan Engel, vegan soft serve with Babz Rawls Ivy, pow wow foods with Mohegan food expert Rachel Sayet, and Acclaimed Chef Franco Comacho shares his favorite spots to eat with his daughters, french pastry, BBQ and a slammin new taco joint.

Legislative Theater

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 11:59:00 -0400

2 part show: Theater of the oppressed NYC sparks policy changes & a gardener, activist & grandma grows food, community and beauty in a former vacant lot.

Field of Greens

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 11:59:00 -0400

Growing community, food and beauty in a former vacant lot in the Hill neighborhood of New Haven, CT. An interview with gardener, activist and grandma, Jamilah Rasheed.

Nurturing All Children

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 14 Jul 2017 11:58:00 -0400

Mother, Montessori education enthusiast, and black breastfeeding advocate Amelia Sherwood talks about her passions for supportive community, Montessori educators for social justice, and her love of nurturing vibrant life for all children, and in particular the importance of nurturing black & brown children and families.

The Beauty of Real Ice Cream

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 30 Jun 2017 12:12:55 -0400

Ice cream entrepreneur Netta Hadari talks about his passionate quest to create real ice cream, commercially produced with amazing flavors and no artificial ingredients or stabilizers. And, when you work in social justice...why does ice cream even matter?

Organizing for Freedom

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 16 Jun 2017 10:50:00 -0400

CT Core - Organize Now! founders & husband and wife team Isa Mujahid and Camelle Scott-Mujahid share their insights into grassroots organizing to transform the racial and economic inequity in the state of Connecticut and beyond. For more info: www.thetableunderground.com

Sanctuary Kitchen

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 12:00:00 -0400

Sanctuary Kitchen is a new organization in New Haven, CT that helps refugee cooks teach cooking and start food businesses. Hear from founder and nutrition educator Sumiya Kahn, and talented Syrian refugee cook Fatema.

Healing from History: Holland & the Holocaust

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 19 May 2017 12:00:00 -0400

Host Tagan Engel, and more than 40 members of her family traveled to Holland for a holocaust memorial in honor of her grandmother Selma Wynberg Engel and the Wynberg family, who lived there before most of them were murdered by the Nazi's during WWII. Guest Saul Fussiner joins Tagan to discuss their shared history as grandchildren of survivors, and how people and societies try and heal from genocide. Tagan tells her grandparent's story of revolt and survival, and Saul shares about teaching high school students about these issues using the Facing History & Ourselves curricula and techniques.

Workers Rights

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 05 May 2017 12:00:00 -0400

Four restaurant workers, Oscar, Antonio, Ivan and Raffael shed light on the abusive working conditions they experienced at a local restaurant. Together with two other workers they filed a federal law suit in April 2017 with support from Unidad Latina en Acción and New Haven Legal Assistance Association.

Cuba Underground: A glimpse of life 2017

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 21 Apr 2017 12:00:00 -0400

Digging into host Tagan Engel's recent trip to Cuba with Cuban American scholar Albert Laguna. Talking food, culture, race, history and Cuba today.

Afro Seder & Y-Love Hip Hop

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 07 Apr 2017 11:55:00 -0400

A Black Jewish liberation passover seder at Soul Fire Farm draws on the parallel stories of Moses and Harriet Tubman to honor the struggle for freedom. Hip Hop and wise words from Y-Love, a talented rapper who is Black, Latino, Jewish and Gay... and you should hear him spit in Yiddish. And as always some fabulous recipes including Haitian Liberation Soup and Pavlova with Pink Grapefruit Curd & Cherries.

Adventures in Good Bread & Food Advocate NYC

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 24 Mar 2017 18:23:33 -0400

Geeking out on whole grains with bakers from Whole G Breads and Pastries and their journey from Venezuela to New Haven + Food Advocate, Youth Organizer Kris Erskine on culturally relevant community building and justice making.

Maple Moon, City Tree Tapping & Grits n' Gravy

The Table Underground w/ Tagan Engel — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 12:00:00 -0500

3 part show: Mohegan food educator Rachel Sayet shares stories of her strong maternal lineage and the importance of maple syrup in native cuisine, 8 year old Sam shows us how to tap maple trees in his backyard and in the urban park across the street, and 1st spotlight featuring Marshall Cruz, young food entrepreneur, rising out of taco bell, self trained through the food network and dreaming of his Grits n' Gravy food truck.

Winter On The Farm

The Table Underground with Tagan Engel — Fri, 24 Feb 2017 12:00:00 -0500

A visit to Massaro Community Farm just outside New Haven, CT to see what life is like on a farm in New England during the winter. Meet farmer Steve, get a glimpse of growing veggies through the winter, visit some chickens, check out his homemade pickles and kimchi, and hear Tagan's reflections on the privilege of whiteness and food access.

Leah & Naima Penniman on the Heart of Community Building

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Fri, 10 Feb 2017 12:00:00 -0500

Farmer, artist, activists sisters Leah Penniman of Soul Fire Farm and Naima Penniman of the performance duo Climbing PoeTree talk heart-led community building for social change. Feat live spoken word poetry, talk on work in Haiti and locally to co-create community, undoing racism, people of color led safe spaces and multi-racial community building.

Radical Love Fuels Youth Activists

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Thu, 26 Jan 2017 17:38:44 -0500

Three teens were motivated to fight for social change before the era of Donald Trump, now they are organizing their community armed with fierce radical love.

Cookies, Cops & Community

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 12:00:00 -0500

Stacy Spell, community builder extraordinaire, gardener, and retired police detective, uses cookies, skills and a whole lotta love to work to end gun violence in New Haven, CT. We discuss police/community partnerships, undoing racism and a delicious Brown Butter Rosemary Melt-away cookie to to

Fit & Feast

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Fri, 30 Dec 2016 12:00:00 -0500

Two fabulous women, both fitness trainers and professional bakers talk on the history of African American bean pies, Hungarian heritage pastries and finding balance in life. Guests Mubarakah Ibrahim of FitHaven and Mmm Pies & Gourmet Desserts, and Kathy Reigelman Fitness Trainer and owner of Katalina's Bakery nibble and chat on this New Years show!

Junzi Kitchen

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 18:10:00 -0500

Junzi Kitchen a "Chipotle Style" Northern Chinese restaurant gets creative with Night Lunch and uplifting their line cooks! New flavors, a 10 person creative team and irresistible treats after dark.

Brian Yazzi of The Sioux Chef

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Sun, 04 Dec 2016 21:10:54 -0500

Navajo Chef Brian Yazzie, Chef de Cuisine at The Sioux Chef, talks about revitalizing native food ways, cooking at Standing Rock and the successes and challenges of decolonizing food.

Serena Spruill

The Table Underground w/Tagan Engel — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 11:40:00 -0500

Serena Spruill dedicated community cook discusses her spiritual and culinary journey as an African American great grandmother and Mental Health Peer Support Specialist with a serious passion for vegan cooking.