Finds of the week

Anneliese Burgess:

I love listening to podcasts when I drive, and I have sifted through many to find some I really love. Too much (pointless) chatting, (irritating) interpersonal banter and bad audio will have me junk a podcast very quickly.

Here are five go-to podcasts for me:

The Daily from The New York Times is the gold standard in terms of news podcasts. It gets straight to the heart of the matter, has informed guests and is beautifully produced. Twenty minutes a day, five times a week. I have recently started listening to selected episodes of Matter of Opinion too. One of the participants in this four-way conversation is Lydia Polgreen, who used to be the NYT correspondent in South Africa, and I have always loved her.

The Genius Recipe Tapes is a lovely, gentle listen and a brilliant concept. Host Kristen Miglore (one of the founders of the food website Food52) speaks to the geniuses behind iconic recipes and uncovers the recipes that changed the way we cook.

Another foodpod I love is Green Eggs and Dan. The American comedian Dan Ahdoot gets interesting guests to send him a picture of the inside of their fridge. This becomes the hook around which he talks to them about food, life and more. It is often quite risqué and the language can get spicy, but I find it hugely entertaining and sometimes laugh-out-loud funny.

And then Wiser Than Me with Julia Louis-Dreyfus (remember her from Seinfeld?). She speaks to interesting middle-aged women about their lives and life lessons. The last three episodes featured Jane Fonda, Isabel Allende and Ruth Reichl. It’s sometimes a bit of a hit-and-miss affair, but with the right guest it is an insightful, interesting listen. 

Laureen Rossouw:

The Staircase is the find of the winter.

I almost missed out on this suspenseful crime thriller miniseries because it's a remake of the first Staircase.

Colin Firth is brilliant in the role of author Michael Peterson, who is accused of murdering his wife, Kathleen.

This excellent, captivating series is based on a true story. Also with Toni Collette, Juliette Binoche and Michael Stuhlbarg.

On Showmax.

Anneliese Burgess:

I am visiting a foodie friend this week and saw a volume on her shelf that is one of my all-time favourite recipe books.

Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat. Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking, by Samin Nosrat, was a publishing sensation. And with good reason. It is simply a masterpiece. The Netflix series with Nosrat, based on the book, is also fantastic.

Books have become so expensive. I see this one now costs R660 at Loot. 

Laureen Rossouw:

@reenvalsa is a weather group on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube where you can see anything and everything about the weather, good or bad.

During the weekend storms, for example, users could see in photos and video clips where the worst-affected areas were and make travel or other plans accordingly. The group's slogan is “Know your weather, know your risk".

instagram.com

Ilse Bigalke:

For the pizza addicts among us (like me): a pizza oven that fits on your barbecue and is small and light enough to take along when you hit the road.

Included in the current discounted price of R1,599 is a thermometer to help you regulate the temperature, a stainless steel pizza paddle and cutter, and a ceramic pizza stone that distributes the heat evenly.

The oven is made of high-grade stainless steel and is suitable for coastal areas.

At Takealot.

♦ VWB ♦

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